You may be used to seeing airplanes in the skies but as wrecks they are interesting spaces to explore. For those interested in wreck dives, airplane wrecks make a nice change. There is something truly special about exploring the inside of an airplane underwater. Planes have had issues and sunk, or been sunk intentionally to create artificial reefs. There are planes of all sizes located around the world, for both recreational and technical divers, here’s a list of some of the most unique airplane wreck dives.
Boeing 747 in Amwaj Islands, Bahrain
This newly sunk wreck in 2019 is located close to the Amwaj Islands in the Arabian Gulf. The wreck is located at 20 meters. It is around 70 meters long making it the largest aircraft to be submerged. It was cleaned of all toxic materials before it was sunk and will become an area for coral growth.
Air Canada Boeing 737-200, British Columbia, Canada
In 2006, Canada’s Boeing 737-200 was sunk to create an artificial reef. Now home to over 120 different species. The wreck is only about 30 meters long and is located at 20 meters, making it a nice and easy dive.
Mitsubishi G4M1 Betty Bomber, Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia
During WWII, Chuuk’s Lagoon was a Japanese Naval Base. On the 17th of February 1944, the US Navy sank over 250 aircrafts and 50 ships. Known as one of the best places in the world for wreck diving, there is so much to explore beneath the surface in this area. The Betty Bomber is an American bomber plane. It lies at about 15 meters and is easily accessible. You can swim in the inside of the aircraft making for an incredible experience. It is still being debated whether this plane missed the runway or was shot down by the Americans.
Blackjack B17, Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea
The U.S. BlackJack B17 sank during a bombing mission against the Japanese in July 1943. It’s located in Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea. It’s wingspan is over 30 meters long and the plane is located on a sandy bottom. The wreck is still in very good condition with gun mounts, ammunition, cockpit and seats. It lies at 50 m and is only accessible to tec divers.
Airplane Wrecks, Aruba, Lesser Antilles
In Aruba, you get two airplane wrecks for the price of one. The DC-3 and S-11 were intentionally sunk to create artificial reefs. Hurricane Lenny broke the DC-3 into two parts, while the S-11 remains largely intact. At its deepest, the wrecks are located at 25 m, making them suitable for Advanced Open Water Divers. For those wanting to explore two wrecks on a single dive, this is the dive site for you.
Interested in wrecks? Take a look at the best wrecks in the world, click here.
