Missing WWI Aust sub may have been found

AUSTRALIAN submarine AE1, missing with all hands since the start of World War I, may have been found in PNG waters, AAP reports.
Australian veterans affairs minister Bruce Billson said he was cautiously optimistic an object detected by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) survey ship HMAS Benalla on the sea floor off New Britain island was the wreckage of AE1.
But he cautioned that it was early days.
“Further investigation using a remotely operated vehicle with imaging capabilities will be necessary to positively identify the object found by Benalla,” he said in a statement.
“The RAN is looking at options to deploy a mine-hunting vessel to the area when operational commitments permit to determine whether the object is in fact a wreck.”
The disappearance of AE1 with all 35 crewmen was Australia’s first major loss of the First World War. Like the loss of HMAS Sydney in World War II, the sinking of AE1 remains a complete mystery.
On Aug 11, 1914 - five days after Australia declared war on Germany - AE1 was dispatched to support operations against German forces on New Britain, then a German possession.
Patrolling off the east coast of the Duke of York Islands on Sept 14, AE1 vanished without trace. A brief search revealed no sign of the vessel.
The search mounted this week by Benalla and HMAS Shepparton was aided by the work of retired navy commander John Foster who researched the loss of AE1 over the past 30 years.
Mr Billson said the search was conducted over the last two days using a towed side scan sonar.
He said Benalla discovered what appeared to be a man-made object approximately 25-30m long and 4m high.
To protect the site pending a further survey, no further details of the location will be revealed. – PNS

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