Australian Hospital Ship (AHS) Centaur was en route from Sydney to Port Moresby, near Cape Moreton, when, at approximately 4:10am on 14 May 1943, the vessel was torpedoed by an unknown Japanese submarine. The torpedo hit the fuel bunkers, which caused a major explosion and many concussion deaths, with passengers dying from fire-related injuries.

Of the 332 individuals aboard the Centaur, 268 perished. The other 64 passengers spent approximately 36 hours at sea, drifting 36 kilometres north-east of the sinking position before being rescued on 15 May 1943.