USS Perch, disappeared?

[Bluehawk]

This came across today, not sure of its truth, or consequences:

 

"Illegal salvagers have plundered at least six World War II shipwrecks near Indonesia for scrap metal, including the wreck of an American submarine that has now "completely vanished," according to investigators.

The damaged wrecks include three Dutch and two British warships sunk by Japanese forces after the Battle of the Java Sea in February 1942, and the American submarine USS Perch, which sank in the Java Sea in March 1942 after being damaged in an attack on Japanese destroyers."

http://www.seeker.com/wwii-shipwrecks-vanish-after-plundering-by-illegal-scavengers-2105083836.html?utm_medium=xpromo&utm_source=AOL&utm_campaign=carousel

[mes]

I saw this too and wonder if it is true. Seems hard to believe these wrecks would be salvaged without someone knowing. If it is true it is an outrage.

Mark

[Bob Hudson]

These wrecks in the Java Sea are likely not under year round scrutiny (the plunder confirms they apparently were not). Here's another version of the news story (or maybe the same story on a different site: http://www.livescience.com/56965-wwii-shipwrecks-vanish-after-illegal-plundering.html

[mikie]

Scavenger ships that are caught doing this shpuld be sunk on sight. New sea graves to replace the stolen ones.

[Bluehawk]

Salute

 

[tomlegg]

Here in the UK, the news has generated quite a bit of national press and as you can imagine various groups are up in arms at the desecration of war graves. As the son of a Sailor who served in (and thankfully survived) the Falklands War, this news as made me sick to my stomach. Here are some of the online headlines...

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/16/dutch-probe-mystery-of-wartime-shipwrecks-that-appear-to-have-go/

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/16/three-dutch-second-world-war-shipwrecks-vanish-java-sea-indonesia

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/17/indonesia-says-its-not-to-blame-for-missing-shipwrecks

 

The last article has the same of similar 3D mapping as one of above linked articles and shows the location of HMS Exeter (one of the two Royal Navy wrecks) shows a big gap on the ocean floor where she once lay. I'm at a loss for words...

[mes]

Saw the video of the carcarrier chopped up and raised in sections. Scary how fast these vultures can do the work. Here is list of the known US shipwrecks in the java sea

USS Houston navy divers have already seen signs tampering. She is relatively shallow water

USS Bullhead ( location is unknown) Lost with all hands in the java sea area

USS Pope

USS Edsall

USS Langley

USS S-36

USS Perch most likely already gone.