ANTON SCHMIDT
Protected Area
Dyngeneset
Why dive here
ANTON SCHMIDT is a wreck dive in Lofoten Islands, Norway.
We’ve been lucky enough to dive our share of wrecks, but the Anton Schmidt in Lofoten hits different. This isn’t a warm-water, coral-encrusted affair; it's a stark, powerful dive that connects you directly to history. Lying broken in the frigid Norwegian depths, this German destroyer, torpedoed in the First Battle of Narvik, is immense. At 117 metres long, she dominates the seabed. The sheer scale of the wreck is what really grabs you. We love tracing the length of her hull, imagining the chaos of her final moments. There are huge sections to explore, from the bow, often draped in kelp, to the mangled stern. You'll find a surprising amount of life here too, even in these cold waters. Ling and cod often peek out from shadowy compartments, and we've seen wolf fish tucked into crevices. The water clarity can be phenomenal, especially on a calm day, giving you incredible visibility over the entire structure. Our best advice? Dress for serious cold, inside and out. This dive is for those who appreciate maritime history and don’t mind a bit of chill for a truly rewarding experience.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
ANTON SCHMIDT Wreck History
Year Sunk
1940
Vessel Type
warship
Cause
torpedo
Tonnage
3,415 tonnes (deep load)
The German destroyer Z22 Anton Schmitt was a state-of-the-art Type 1936-class warship, commissioned into the Kriegsmarine just months before the outbreak of World War II. Launched in 1937, she was a fast, heavily armed vessel designed for escort duties and offensive operations. In April 1940, the Anton Schmitt was assigned a critical role in Operation Weserübung, the German invasion of Norway, as part of the naval force tasked with capturing the strategic iron ore port of Narvik.
On April 10, 1940, the German flotilla in Narvik's Ofotfjord was taken by surprise by a daring attack from five British Royal Navy destroyers, igniting the First Battle of Narvik. The Anton Schmitt, while refueling from a supply ship, was struck by two torpedoes fired from HMS Hunter. The explosions were devastating, hitting the engine and boiler rooms and breaking the destroyer in two. She sank almost instantly, taking 52 of her crew with her. This record, with a depth of 0m, likely marks the general location of the battle, with the main diveable wreckage located nearby.
Reviews for ANTON SCHMIDT
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for ANTON SCHMIDT
ANTON SCHMIDT Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for ANTON SCHMIDT, sourced from NOAA buoy data - nearest station: Open-Meteo grid (60.66, 8.44) (0km away)
August Averages
Air Temperature
9.82°C
50°F
Wind Speed
3.87 m/s
7.5 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1011.9 hPa
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC
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