Wreck of Japanese pearling ship in Australia to be protected
The only known wreck of a Japanese pearling mothership in Australian waters will be protected for its historical significance, the Australian government said Sunday.
The Japanese pearling ship Sanyo Maru which has been lying on the ocean floor off Northern Australia for the past 70 years will be will be safeguarded by a 200ha protection zone, says Federal Heritage Minister Mark Butler.
(Archival photo) Pears fishers off Ceylon
The wreck of the Japanese pearling mothership Sanyo Maru sits on its keel at a depth of 27 metres some 60 kilometres off the Central Arnhem Land coast.
Mr Butler said the Sanyo Maru is significant, not only because it is the sole wreck of a Japanese pearling mother-ship near the Australian coast, but also because of the site’s remarkable condition and the significance of its archaeological relics.
The wreck of the Sanyo Maru is the only known shipwreck of its type in Australia.
On 1 July 1937, Sanyo Maru, with its crew of 20, and heavily overloaded with harvested cargo, was hit by an unseasonal storm and headed seaward to find protection. The Sanyo Maru ‘rolled’ twice and then floundered and sank.
Some crew members managed to get away in a dinghy while others clung to floating debris. Survivors were picked up by other boats. Two crew members died in the sinking: a pearl diver and the ship’s purser.
The unique collection of relics at the site can provide us with unparalleled insight into the operation and technology of the pearl shell trade during the 1930s and the day-to-day lives of the crews.
—Mark Butler, Federal Heritage Minister