The ocean floor is home to many thousands of shipwrecks, marking the final resting place of the many brave men and women who were aboard over the millennia. Finding these shipwrecks is not always easy, even if you know the general area where they went down.

In 2022, however, explorers beat all odds to find the wreckage of the Samuel B Robins under the Philippine Sea. There are many things that make this shipwreck unique, but one of the most important is the fact that it is the deepest shipwreck ever discovered.

The remains lay 6895 meters (22,621 feet) below sea level, making it very difficult to find. The exploration was led by billionaire Victor Vescovo and sonar specialist Jeremie Morizet.

They wanted to find this ship in part because of its rich history. The USS Samuel B Roberts was a destroyer escort ship in the US Navy during World War II. It was 93-meters (306 feet) long, and at the time it went down, it was carrying 224 people, 89 of whom perished.

It sank in October of 1944 during a fierce battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Battle off Samar. This ship was dramatically outnumbered and outgunned, but it is widely reported that it put up a surprisingly strong fight before finally being overcome.

To find the wreckage, the team used sonar-beaming ships and submersible vehicles to scan the area. Vescovo is the founder of Caladan Oceanic, and he used that sonar to locate potential hits well below the surface. On June 18th, 2022, they were able to identify one of the three-tube torpedo launchers from the ship. These launchers are unique to this ship, making it easy to confirm that they found what they were looking for.

After its confirmation, the team went on another dive where they were able to identify the full ship, which was snapped in two pieces, which was on a slope deep under the surface. You can see the recording of this incredible find here:

Vescovo talked with IFLScience about his amazing find, where he said:

“It was an extraordinary honor to locate this incredibly famous ship, and by doing so have the chance to retell her story of heroism and duty to those who may not know of the ship and her crew’s sacrifice. I always remain in awe of the extraordinary bravery of those who fought in this battle against truly overwhelming odds – and won.”

Finding ships that are in such deep waters is very difficult, but well worth it in the end.

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