The wreckage of a US aircraft carrier sunk during World War II has been found by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
The USS Lexington was located on Sunday at a depth of about two miles in the Coral Sea, circa 500 miles off Australia’s east coast.
The ship was found by Allen’s company Vulcan, which has also located 11 of 35 aircraft associated with the carrier.
“To pay tribute to the USS Lexington and the brave men that served on her is an honor,” Allen wrote in a blog post Monday.
“As Americans, all of us owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who served and who continue to serve our country for their courage, persistence and sacrifice.”
Launched as an aircraft carrier in 1925, the ship was lost in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. Some 216 crew members died when fighting three Japanese carriers, although an estimated 2,770 crewmen and officers survived.
The carrier was scuttled by the U.S. Navy after being struck by several Japanese bombs and torpedoes.
As it is considered a war grave by the United States military, the ship will not be retrieved from the depths.
In August last year, Vulcan discovered the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis in the Pacific Ocean.
