Airplane Wreck - Bocas del Toro

We love a good wreck, and Bocas del Toro’s Airplane Wreck really delivers a quirky, memorable dive. It's an old DC-3, sunk deliberately, and it sits upright on a sandy bottom, shallow enough that you get some incredible light filtering through the water column. Our favourite thing about it is the way nature has already started reclaiming it; the cockpit is particularly cool, with glass still in some of the windows, and the fuselage offers these fantastic swim-throughs where you'll often find schooling grunts or a curious snapper peering out. You can still make out the pilot’s seat and controls, which is a neat touch. Look closely around the wings and you'll spot sergeant majors darting in and out, and we've even seen nurse sharks napping underneath the tail section on occasion. It’s not a deep dive, maybe 12-15 metres, making it perfect for newer wreck divers or those looking for a relaxed second dive. Head there in the late morning for the best light.

Location
Bocas del Toro, Panama, Central America
Coordinates
9.550816, -79.669250
Type
wreck

Wreck History - Airplane Wreck

Year Sunk
1999
Vessel Type
aircraft
Cause
scuttled

Resting in the calm, shallow waters near Colon Island, the "Airplane Wreck" of Bocas del Toro is not a casualty of a dramatic crash but a purposefully created artificial reef. The aircraft, a Douglas DC-3, was intentionally sunk in 1999 as part of the adventure race television show "Eco-Challenge." The producers wanted to create an exciting underwater checkpoint for contestants, and in doing so, gifted the local diving community a fantastic new site.

Today, the wreck sits upright on a sandy bottom at a depth of only 12 meters (40 feet), making it an accessible and popular dive for all certification levels. The fuselage is largely intact, and divers can easily peer into the cockpit and passenger cabin, which have become a bustling habitat for a variety of marine life. Schools of snapper, grunts, and sergeant majors swarm the structure, while lobsters and crabs hide in its nooks and crannies. Its shallow depth and excellent visibility make it a perfect spot for underwater photography and a memorable part of any Bocas del Toro dive trip.

Marine Protected Area: Portobelo

Best Time to Dive in Bocas del Toro

The warmest water temperatures in Bocas del Toro occur in December, averaging 29.4°C. The coolest conditions are in November at 28.3°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 29.3°C
  • February: 29.1°C
  • March: 28.9°C
  • April: 29.1°C
  • May: 29.1°C
  • June: 29.0°C
  • July: 29.1°C
  • August: 29.2°C
  • September: 29.0°C
  • October: 28.7°C
  • November: 28.3°C
  • December: 29.4°C

Nearby Dive Sites in Bocas del Toro

Nearest Dive Centres to Airplane Wreck

Marine Life in Bocas del Toro

Home to 175 recorded species including 166 reef fish, 4 sharks & rays, 2 hard corals, 2 other, 1 whales & dolphins.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for Airplane Wreck

Based on average water temperature of 29.0°C, currents 7 cm/s.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories