Australian Researchers Find Wreckage of MV Blythe Star 50 Years After Sinking

Australian researchers have discovered the wreckage of the MV Blythe Star, nearly 50 years after it suddenly sank off the coast of Tasmania.

The 44-meter-long ship capsized and sank off Tasmania's southwestern coast in October 1973.

The Australian National Science Agency confirmed on Monday that the ship's location was identified in April during a 38-day research mission led by the University of Tasmania, which included a side mission to verify the wreckage of an unknown ship spotted by fishing vessels in the past.

The agency said that mapping the sea floor showed that the unknown shipwreck was at a depth of about 150 meters and that measuring the depths revealed that it matched the dimensions and appearance of the MV Blythe Star.

The agency also said that the shipwreck was intact and remained upright on the seabed, with a slight northwesterly tilt.

Using underwater cameras, the researchers were able to identify part of the ship's name, "Star," on the bow of the ship.

The data collected has been provided to government maritime heritage agencies, and experts hope that the maps and video footage will help answer questions about the cause of the ship's sinking.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.