WATCH: World War II US destroyer found on Philippine Sea floor

MANILA, Philippines — The debris of a suspected US Navy destroyer that sank during the Battle of Leyte, the largest naval battle of World War II, have been discovered on the Philippine Sea floor.

Researchers aboard the RV Petrel, owned by Vulcan Inc., believe the wreckage found in a trench 20,400 feet beneath floor of the Philippine Sea belongs to USS Johnston.

The research vessel released a video from an undersea drone on its Facebook page.

In the video, Vulcan's Rob Kraft and Paul Meyer discussed the likelihood that the wreck is that of the USS Johnston, a Fletcher-class destroyer that sunk during the Battle off Samar, the center most action of the Battle of Leyte.

“This wreck is completely decimated… It is just debris. There is no hull structure,” Kraft said in the video.

Vulcan released the footage last week, coinciding with the 74th anniversary of the sinking of the warship. — Patricia Lourdes Viray

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