The A$2.9 million mentioned in this article would have finally given Sydney Search the rest of the funds they need to conduct their search. It may not be needed but time will tell.
Experts claim that HMAS Sydney discovery in doubt | PerthNow AUSTRALIAN defence and maritime officials say it is premature to claim HMAS Sydney has been found.
They urged caution, warning that the wreck might be a prawn trawler or other vessel.
"This is potentially an exciting development and we are committed to doing what we can to verify the claim (that the wreck of the HMAS Sydney has been found), but it must be stressed that at this stage it is still unconfirmed,'' Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Bruce Billson said yesterday.
"If this turns out to be the Sydney, then this will be an absolutely wonderful outcome.''
Jurien Bay resident and master diver Ian Stiles rang Mr Billson's office on Friday saying: ``I think we've found something.''
Mr Stiles, amateur researcher Phil Shepherd and several others believe HMAS Sydney is lying off Cape Inscription on the northern end of Dirk Hartog Island, off Shark Bay, in about 150m of water.
HMAS Sydney was last seen off Shark Bay before it was believed to have been sunk on November 19, 1941, by the German raider Kormoran.
All 645 men on board perished, making it the biggest maritime disaster in Australian history.
Curator of maritime archeology at the WA Museum Mike McCarthy said some vessels had sunk in the area.
Dr McCarthy said a copper bolt found in the area some years ago by fisherman Dion Hipper and his father, Marshall, had raised hopes the Sydney was nearby, but after inspecting the bolt he believed it belonged to a stricken prawn trawler, the Serena Pearle.
Another vessel, the Empire Grassland, had also sunk in the area, he said.
"We are treating this (latest claim) carefully, objectively and with hope,'' Dr McCarthy said.
"I think everyone is hoping it is the Sydney because this has gone on too long.''
Glenys McDonald, who wrote a book about HMAS Sydney, said yesterday Mr Shepherd had phoned her on Friday, excited by the find.
"Phil contacted me and said they had put their cameras down and the vessel was quite large and there were a lot of aerials and stuff strewn everywhere,'' she said.
"I said, `My goodness, you are going public with this without having it confirmed' and he said, 'Look, it couldn't be anything else'.''
The Federal Government intended to announce today a $2.9 million grant to a Perth-based group, HMAS Sydney Search Pty Ltd, to help find the missing wreck.
A spokesman for Mr Billson said the announcement had been shelved because of the latest claims, but the Federal Government would dip into the funding to help Mr Shepherd's group if needed.