An imperial Japanese navy submarine which sunk in World War II off the coast of Darwin has been 3D mapped by scientists for the first time.
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The I-124 submarine, which was the first wreckage site in Australia to be protected under the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act, is the final resting place of 80 Japanese submariners.
It was sank on 20 January, 1942, following a battle between the vessel and Australian Navy corvette HMAS Deloraine.
Now 80 years on, a team of divers have travelled about 50 metres down through strong currents, capturing footage of the wreckage to aid research.
A statement released by the Northern Territory Government said previous surveys of the I-124 were restricted to remote sensing, which is limited compared to what the dive footage could provide.
"This expedition will provide new insight into one of the most important sites of shared heritage between Japan and Australia," the statement said.
"By sending experts down to the wreck, we give ourselves the best chance to get the most accurate picture of what happened 80 years ago and the condition of the wreck today."
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