In 2008 Mearns led a search team to find the Australian cruiser and the German auxiliary cruiser "Kormoran", which both sank following an engagement off Western Australia in 1941 during World War 2. Prior to finding H.M.A.S. "Sydney", Mearns said that it was, in some ways, "bigger than the "Titanic"" because of what it meant to Australia. "Nothing comes close to the "Sydney"."