After 80 years submerged, the ship ‘Vital de Oliveira’, Sunned by a German submarine during World War II, It was found by, on the Brazilian coast.
The vessel was slaughtered in 1944 by torpedoes and victimized 99 people from the 270 crew members.
The ship was discovered 65 kilometers from the coast of Macaé (RJ) during a vessel research mission, which coincidentally, has the same name, ‘Vital de Oliveira’, on January 16, but the information only They were revealed now.
For the professor at the Institute of Strategic Studies at the Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Eduardo Heleno, The discovery points out an important step in preserving the role of Brazil during the war.
“The memory of Brazil’s participation in World War II is something that should be valued. The country participated in the largest conflict of the twentieth century sending an expeditionary force with more than 25,000 soldiers. And one of the motivations for Brazil to come into war was exactly the sinking of several Brazilian merchant ships, not only in the Atlantic but in the Mediterranean, victimizing military and civilians, among the last, women and children, ”says Heleno.
The expedition, called “sea tests and commissioning”, marked a significant advance in the Brazilian naval archeology. The location of the hull was possible thanks to the joint work of military, local divers and high -tech equipment.
The teacher points out that more than thirty Brazilian vessels were slaughtered during the period. “The first attack, which took place in 1941, went to the Taubaté ship, which was sailing near Egypt, and was hit by gunfire from German aircraft. The following year, in 1942, other ships went to the Pique within the Submarine War undertaken by the Germans in the largest context of the Battle of the Atlantic. From 1942 to 1944 there were 33 ships sunk. The last of them, in July 1944, was exactly Vital de Oliveira, ”concludes Heleno.
The ecobatimeter allowed the creation of three -dimensional models of the wreck, while the sonar generated detailed images of the hull. In all, 32 probing lines and 9 side scan lines were performed, covering an extensive area around the site.
“Wrecks and other submerged structures are material records of the maritime history of Brazil. These evidence allow you to understand commercial routes, naval strategies, technological advances and episodes such as military clashes and sea disasters. In some cases, wreck vessels are associated with specific periods, such as World War II, which adds strategic and diplomatic relevance to their study, ”says Captain-Lieutenant Demilio, a member of the expedition.
The location of the wreck featured the collaboration of the divers José Luiz and Everaldo Meriguete, as they answered the call of a fisherman, identified the presence of a cannon under the sea and warned the navy.
The old boat was the only Brazilian military ship to be torpedoed by enemy forces during World War II.
The next steps of the search include data processing to create more detailed three -dimensional models, the use of technical dives and subacous vehicles operated to collect photos, videos and other data.
Discovery will be integrated into the project “Atlas of Wrecks of historical interest of the coast of Brazil”, initiative of the Navy to catalog wreck vessels on the coast.
The captain of frigate Manoel Antônio Vital de Oliveira, patron of hydrography, killed during the Paraguayan War.
