IJN
Freighter

Tons
8,560

1942



1944

1959

Peter Flahavin 1998

Wartime History
Send on a supply run to Guadalcanal, it reached Bunani Point , but was one of three transports sunk by SBD Dauntless on October 15, 1942, when a bomb hit ammunition in the rear hold, causing the ship to sink rapidly from the stern. Also lost were Sasako Maru and Azumasan Maru.

After the fighting had ended in the area, the massive shipwreck, with its bow sticking up in the air, was photographed by many American servicemen on Guadalcanal, who posed for photos in front of it.

Post War Scrapping
After the war, the wreck settled into deeper water due to earthquakes.   The upper surfaces of the ship were cut off and salvaged for scrap metal by scrap dealers in the 1960's. Some planks of metal from the ship remain piled high on the beach and lying along the waters edge.

Shipwreck
Known locally as the "Ruinin" wreck, better known by the name of the nearby creek. Heavily damaged by bombing and scrapping, the ship is twisted from bomb damage.  Over the years, divers have reported artillery shells still in their original packing and more notably the carbonized remnants of biscuits with the baker's name still evident. Rice bowls and the remains of uniforms can be seen in the better-preserved deep sections of the ship.

Contribute Information

20m from shore
5m bow
46m stern