(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-17 13:52

CANBERRA - The Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced Monday the wreckage of HMAS (Her Majesty's Australian Ship) Sydney, sunk off the West Australian coast during World War II, has been found.

The Sydney's entire crew of 645 went down with the ship in the Indian Ocean in November, 1941, and its location has been a mystery for more than 66 years.

It was announced Sunday that the wreckage of the German merchant raider Kormoran -  which is believed to have sunk the Australian warship - was found in waters about 800 kilometres north of Perth.

Rudd said the Sydney was located Sunday, about 22 kilometres from the Kormoran.

"I'm advised that the HMAS Sydney was found some 12 nautical miles from the Kormoran, some eight nautical miles from the scene of the principal battle site and at a depth of some 2,470 metres," Rudd told reporters in Canberra.

Rudd said the federal government hoped the find would bring some closure for the families of the 645 sailors who went down with the ship.

He said that on behalf of the government, "I would say to all those members of the families of the brave members of the crew of the HMAS Sydney that the government extends to them our condolences for the loss of these brave young men."

He also confirmed Environment Minister Peter Garrett was in the process of issuing an interim protection declaration in relation to both the Sydney and the Kormoran.

"The environment minister will be issuing a full statement a bit later in the day, but I'm advised it provides immediate and early protection of the sites against any unauthorized intrusion," he said.