Airplane Wreck - Kas & Kekova

There’s something about a plane wreck that just hits different, and the Airplane Wreck in Kas is no exception. It's an Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM79 bomber, brought down in WWII, resting upright on a sandy bottom at 55-60 metres. We love that you can still make out the cockpit and the twin engines, even after all these years. This dive is for expert technical divers; the depth demands serious planning and gas management. When you drop down, the sheer scale of the wreck against the sand is impressive. The visibility here is often fantastic, giving you plenty of time to appreciate the bomber's silhouette. Shoals of rhomboid sweepers often swarm the fuselage, creating a silver curtain. We’ve seen huge groupers sheltering in the bomb bay, and yellow barracuda glide past in the blue. Keep an eye out for the silver-cheeked toadfish, they’re often perched on the wings, watching you with those bulbous eyes. It’s a quiet, reflective dive, a real journey into history.

Location
Kas & Kekova, Turkey, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
36.170000, 29.650000
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
55-60m
Difficulty
Expert

Wreck History - Airplane Wreck

Year Sunk
1941
Vessel Type
aircraft
Cause
unknown

Deep off the coast of Kas lies a relic of World War II, an Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM79 "Sparviero" bomber. This three-engine torpedo bomber was a formidable aircraft in the Italian Royal Air Force (Regia Aeronautica). In 1941, during a mission over the Eastern Mediterranean, it was engaged by British fighters and shot down, eventually coming to rest on the seabed where it has remained for over 80 years.

Lying on a sandy bottom at a depth between 55 and 60 meters (180-197 feet), this is a challenging technical dive reserved for experienced, certified divers. Those who make the descent are rewarded with the sight of a remarkably well-preserved piece of history. The aircraft is largely intact, with its distinctive triple-engine nose and fuselage clearly recognizable. The wreck has become an artificial reef, often patrolled by large groupers and visited by schools of amberjack. It serves as a haunting and silent monument to the conflict that once raged in the skies above.

Nearby Dive Sites in Kas & Kekova

Nearest Dive Centres to Airplane Wreck

Marine Life in Kas & Kekova

Home to 17 recorded species including 6 reef fish, 5 whales & dolphins, 2 seagrass & algae, 1 other, 1 sea urchins, 1 sea snails & nudibranchs.

Notable Species