Across Asia: Australia

Sinked ship remembered

Tearful relatives of sailors lost in a World War II sea battle threw flowers into the sea yesterday as Australia marked the 67th anniversary of the sinking of the HMAS Sydney - the first since the ship was found on the ocean floor after decades of mystery.

The sinking of the Sydney on Nov 19, 1941 stunned Australia - it was one of the nation's greatest maritime losses - and the government banned all media from reporting the news for 12 days as it scrambled to explain what happened.