A US navy destroyer sunk during World War II and lying nearly 6,500 meters below sea level off the Philippines has been reached in the world’s deepest shipwreck dive, an American exploration team said. A crewed submersible filmed, photographed and surveyed the wreckage of the USS Johnston off Samar Island in two eight-hour dives completed late last month, Texas-based undersea technology company Caladan Oceanic said. The 115-meter-long ship was sunk on Oct. 25, 1944 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf as US forces fought to liberate the Philippines – then a US colony – from Japanese occupation.

Deepest wreck dive reaches WW II ship off Phl. (2021, April 5). The Philippine Star, p. 4.