In a joint effort between oceanographers from the United States and Ukraine, the search is under way for the SS Armenia in the Black Sea. The Armenia was a Soviet hospital ship that was sunk by the German Luftwaffe in 1941. 7,000 people were on board and lost their lives went it was bombed. It took only four minutes to sink and the Ukrainian people were devastated at the loss of life. Not only did the ship contain crew and military at the time of the sinking, but also wounded soldiers, families, women and children who were visiting the ship.
The search began on Sunday, September 7, 2008, and the Ukrainian Department of Underwater Heritage is being assisted by the USNS Pathfinder under the auspices of the Military Sealift Command. The Pathfinder is equipped with high-tech equipment that will allow them to search the murky waters of the Black Sea to a depth of 1,000 meters (about 3,280 feet). The scientists are using side-scan and multi-beam sonar to scan the multitude of wreckage at the bottom of the Black Sea for anything interesting enough to warrant a closer look. When this occurs, a remote controlled vehicle equipped with video will be sent down to capture data and verify the sonar findings.
The project is being worked on by civilian surveyors from the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office, Ukrainian sailors, surveyors, historians, U.S. civilian oceanographers and U.S. Naval personnel. The Pathfinder will only be allowed to stay in the Black Sea for 21 days based on the restrictions outlined in the Montreux Convention. They are hoping to find something that will indicate where the Armenia is and when this happens, the underwater graveyard will be designated a memorial site by the Ukrainian Department of Underwater Heritage. There is no word from the Ukrainian government whether or not the ship would be raised.
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