SubC Imaging has worked with Curtin University and the Western Australian Museum to successfully survey the shipwrecks of Australian warship HMAS Sydney (II) and the German raider HSK Kormoran in the Indian Ocean 200 km west of Shark Bay, Western Australia. The water depth at the site is approximately 2500m.

One of SubC’s latest products, the 1Cam 3D was used extensively in the mission providing outstanding footage of the shipwrecks.

Dr Andrew Woods, Research Engineer at the Centre for Marine Science & Technology at Curtin University commented, on the camera’s capabilities:

The 1Cam 3D features real 10x optical zoom even in 3D mode. This allows full use of the sensor at all times. At far zoom levels the light sensitivity and image quality do not change unlike digital zooms. This feature and its two Full HD sensors, allow to capture true 1920×1080 3D video.

The HMAS Sydney, a light cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy was lost after combat with the German raider HSK Kormoran in the Indian Ocean off the Western Australian coast during World War Two. The loss of the Sydney with its full war complement of 645 remains Australia’s worst naval disaster.

The expedition has captured unique footage of the wreck sites, providing a much clearer explanation of how HMAS Sydney was so comprehensively destroyed with the loss of everyone on board.

Alec Coles, CEO of the Western Australian Museum, said this about the mission’s challenges:

SubC Imaging’s goal is to keep raising the bar on the development of cutting edge underwater imaging systems that will continue to reveal the secrets of the unexplored subsea habitat, contributing to a better understanding of the underwater world and its immeasurable resource potential.

For more information visit:

https://news.curtin.edu.au/media-releases/new-images-confirm-the-fate-of-hmas-sydney-ii/

https://museum.wa.gov.au/explore/sydney