Researchers discover sunken USS Indianapolis

The wreckage of USS Indianapolis has been discovered on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean by a team of civilian researchers.

The Indianapolis was struck by two torpedoes by a Japanese submarine on July 30, 1945, and sunk in 12 minutes. Of the nearly 1,200 crew members on board, 300 went down with the ship. The remainder faced cold, oily and shark-infested waters. Only 317 were rescued after four-plus days in the ocean.

The wreck was discovered 5,500 meters below the surface by the expedition crew of Research Vessel Petrel, which is owned by philanthropist Paul Allen.

"To be able to honor the and their families through the discovery of a ship that played such a significant role in ending World War II is truly humbling," Allen said, according to a release by the U.S. Navy. "As Americans, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the crew for their courage, persistence and sacrifice in the face of horrendous circumstances. While our search for the rest of the wreckage will continue, I hope everyone connected to this historic ship will feel some measure of closure at this discovery so long in coming."

The 13-person expedition team on the Petrel is surveying the site and will conduct a live tour of the wreckage in the next few weeks.

Their work is compliant with U.S. law, respecting the sunken ship as a war grave and not disturbing the site. USS Indianapolis remains the property of the U.S. Navy and its location will remain confidential and restricted by the Navy.

Plans are underway to honor the 22 surviving members of the ship, as well as the families of all those who served on the highly decorated cruiser.

Days before the attack, the ship had secretly delivered the components for the first atomic bomb.