13 February
A research team has located the wreckage of an US aircraft carrier that sank in the South Pacific during World War Two.
The USS Hornet was found east of the Solomon Islands at a depth of about 5,400 meters. The vessel is known for its role in the first US air raid on the Japanese main islands.
The team is part of a foundation set up by Microsoft's late co-founder Paul Allen.
Footage taken by an unmanned underwater vehicle shows the ship's hull, fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft guns.
Construction of the Hornet was completed in October of 1941, shortly before the start of the Pacific War. In April of the following year, 16 B-25 bombers took off from the vessel to carry out the first US air strike on Japan's main islands.
The Hornet also took part in the Battle of Midway and the fighting in the Solomon Islands.
The ship was heavily damaged in October of 1942 by Japanese air attacks, and was sunk by torpedoes launched from destroyers.
The Hornet is the last US fleet carrier sunk by the now-defunct Japanese Imperial military during World War Two.
The head of the search operation, Robert Kraft, said he hopes the discovery will help people remember the servicemen who lost their lives in the war.
He said it will preserve history and help people learn from the past by uncovering unknown facts.
Credit> NHK
