Graves of 900 Dutch soldiers disappear in Indonesia

The wreks of cruisers Hr. Ms. De Royter and Hr. Ms. Java and a large part of Hr. Ms Kortenaer - serving as the war graves of over 900 Dutch soldiers and some 250 Indonesian soldiers off the coast of Indonesia - disappeared for unknown reason, Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis Plasschaert wrote to Dutch parliament, RTL Nieuws reports.

The ships sank on February 27th, 1942 during the Battle of the Java Sea in the war with Japan. The disappearance of the watery graves was discovered earlier this year during a diving expedition by the Karel Doorman Fund. The divers found only traces of the ships and sonar recordings showed their imprints on the sea floor. Further investigation must reveal exactly what happened, Hennis wrote.

The survivors and family members of the soldiers who went down with the vessels were informed of their disappearance. The Netherlands also informed the American, Australian, British and Indonesian authroties - all those involved in the Battle fot he Java Sea.