USS Samuel B Roberts: world’s deepest shipwreck found in the Philippine Sea

The vessel, which went down during a second world war battle with Japan, was located 6,895m below sea level off the Philippines

An American exploration team filmed and surveyed the battered hull of the ship during a series of dives this month

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The pilothouse of the wreck of navy destroyer USS Samuel B Roberts after it was discovered off the Philippines. Photo: Caladan Oceanic and EYOS expeditions/AFP

Published: 3:03pm, 25 Jun 2022

A US navy destroyer sunk during World War II has been found nearly 7,000m (23,000 feet) below sea level off the Philippines, making it the world’s deepest shipwreck ever located, an American exploration team said.

The USS Samuel B Roberts went down during a battle off the central island of Samar on October 25, 1944 as US forces fought to liberate the Philippines – then a US colony – from Japanese occupation.

A crewed submersible filmed, photographed and surveyed the battered hull of the “Sammy B” during a series of dives over eight days this month, Texas-based undersea technology company Caladan Oceanic said.

Images showed the ship’s three-tube torpedo launcher and gun mount.

“Resting at 6,895m, it is now the deepest shipwreck ever located and surveyed,” tweeted Caladan Oceanic founder Victor Vescovo, who piloted the submersible.

“This small ship took on the finest of the Japanese navy, fighting them to the end,” he said.

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