The wreck of the Japanese “Hellship” transport Hōfuku Maru has been identified off the coast of the Phillipines by the Hellships Memorial Foundation, 80 years after being sunk in WWII.
The wreck's site sits off the coast of Zambales province in Luzon, Philippines, more than 30 miles from where Hōfuku Maru was believed lost, and at a depth of 160 feet below the water, according to an early June statement from the Discovery Channel.
The discovery, announced by the foundation, was also aired in early June on the Discovery Channel’s Expedition Unknown program.
Over 130 cargo ships and passenger liners were repurposed by the Japanese to move Allied prisoners-of-war (POWs) and forced laborors in inhumane conditions during WWII.
These transport vessels were notorious for their brutal conditions, leading to the term “Hellship” being coined in reference. More than 125,000 Allied prisoners are estimated to have been transported on these vessels, with an estimated 20,000 having died on board.
Over 1,000 Allied POWs killed when Hōfuku Maru sunk
On September 21, 1944, Hōfuku Maru was sunk by an Allied torpedo.
She sunk in less then three minutes, killing over 1,000 British and more than 200 Dutch POWs, making her end one of deadliest Hellship tragedies in the war.
After rediscovering US and Japanese documents buried within military archives, Hellships Memorial Foundation researcher John Duresky was able to pinpoint a shipwreck consistent with the last known position and characteristics of Hōfuku Maru.
“We were absolutely stunned that Japanese sources had information on where the convoy was attacked and what ships were hit – this was a smoking gun,” said Hellships Memorial Foundation founder and retired US Naval Officer Randy Anderson.
Expedition Unknown co-executive Josh Gates, partnering with the foundation, underwater imaging specialist Evan Kovacs and maritime archaeologist Dr. Calvin Mires of Marine Imaging Technologies, LLC, embarked on a mission to officially identify the wreck.
Through a series of deepwater dives, the discovery of human remains among the ship’s debris, and aligning the wreck’s measurement’s against those of Hōfuku Maru, the team was able to confirm the identity of the wreckage as that of the infamous Hellship.
“The pieces all fit,” stated historian Tim Beckensall. “The vessel is the right size, in the right place and from the correct period. I am convinced this is the Hōfuku Maru.”
WWII Hellships: A chapter demanding to be brought to light
“The story of the Hellships is a chapter in the history of WWII that demands to be brought to light,” said Gates. “The research and dives that led to this groundbreaking discovery can hopefully offer closure to the families of more than a thousand servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
“It’s a privilege to work alongside the Hellships Memorial Foundation to honor their memories; they are lost no more.”
The foundation, in a June statement, said that “the discovery represents an important step in preserving the history of those who suffered and died aboard the Hellships.”
Like all Hellship wrecks, it added, the site is regarded as a maritime war grave and should be treated with the utmost respect.
