Airplane Wreck WWII
Protected Area
Isole di Cerboli e Palmaiola
Why dive here
With 70+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, dolphins, humpback whales, mobula rays (devil rays) and oceanic whitetip sharks - Airplane Wreck WWII offers some of Portofino & Liguria's richest wreck diving.
There’s something about a plane wreck that just hits differently than a ship, isn’t there? The Airplane Wreck in Portofino Bay delivers that unique, eerie charm. We love diving this site because it feels like stepping into a moment frozen in time, a poignant reminder of WWII just off the Italian coast. You’ll drop down onto the sandy seabed and find the remains of a German Junkers JU 88 bomber, scattered but still recognisable. The cockpit section is particularly striking, often home to a grumpy moray eel peeking out from the gloom. We’ve spent whole dives just exploring the various pieces, imagining the impact, the sudden silence. Look closely at the wings and fuselage – they’re encrusted now with vibrant gorgonians and sponges, providing shelter for colourful nudibranchs and small schools of damselfish. The visibility here can be excellent, especially in late summer, giving the wreck a dreamlike quality. It's a fairly shallow dive, around 20 metres, making it accessible for open water divers who want a taste of historical wreck diving without the deep saturation. Our favourite time to go is first thing in the morning; you avoid the boat traffic and often get the wreck to yourself.
Typical Airplane Wreck WWII Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
Airplane Wreck WWII Wreck History
Year Sunk
1943
Vessel Type
aircraft
Cause
unknown
In the deep blue waters of the Ligurian Sea, near the famed Portofino peninsula, lies the remarkably intact wreck of a German Junkers Ju 88 bomber. This versatile and widely used Luftwaffe aircraft was a key player in World War II, serving as a bomber, dive bomber, and night fighter. This particular plane was shot down by Allied forces in 1943 while on a mission in the Mediterranean, its crew perishing as it plunged into the sea.
The wreck was discovered by local fishermen in the 1990s and has since become one of the most sought-after technical dives in the Mediterranean. It rests upside down on a muddy seabed at a depth of around 52 meters (170 feet), requiring advanced trimix certification. Divers who make the descent can clearly identify the twin engines, the cockpit with its 'greenhouse' canopy buried in the silt, and the long, slender fuselage. The aircraft is now a haven for marine life, draped in sea fans and home to conger eels and lobsters, offering a poignant and unforgettable glimpse into history.
Reviews for Airplane Wreck WWII
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Airplane Wreck WWII
Airplane Wreck WWII Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Airplane Wreck WWII, sourced from NOAA buoy data - nearest station: Open-Meteo grid (44.31, 9.19) (0km away)
August Averages
Air Temperature
25.58°C
78°F
Wind Speed
3.87 m/s
7.5 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1013.1 hPa
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC
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