On July 11, 1943, a U.S. B17-F Bomber was returning to base, when a severe engine failure during a terrible storm caused the plane to go off-course, run out of fuel, and drop down into the ocean. The plane was nicknamed the ‘Black Jack’ because it had the number 21 at the end of its serial number.
Fortunately, the crew was rescued in time and survived, but the ‘Black Jack’ sunk to the bottom of the ocean. The aircraft was found 43 years later near Boga Boga, Cape Vogel, in Papua New Guinea, and was mostly intact. In fact, this has become one of the world’s most famous dive sites, because it is so well-preserved that even the plane’s weaponry and equipment are still in place.
The Ancient City of Epidaurus
The ancient sunken city of Epidaurus is a real sight to behold. This once glorious location was a commercial center in Argolida, Greece. But it’s not so much a city as it was a tiny settlement that was probably used for trading. Walls, stations, and hollowed-out buildings are what remain.
Being so close to the shore and located on fairly shallow waters, these ruins are pretty easy to access. It’s also a prime location for snorkeling with plenty of colorful fish and marine life inhabiting the area. Here, we see a bird’s eye view of a swimmer exploring the city’s ruins.
The Roman Ruins of Baiae
Here, a diver explores an ancient Roman mosaic located in the underwater ruins of Baiae, Naples, Italy. For many centuries, this town of the past was popular among the Romans and considered even more prestigious than neighboring cities like Pompeii, Capri, and Herculaneum because of its hot springs and other amenities.
Volcanic activity caused parts of the town to be submerged underwater. In the 1950s, Italian archeologists conducted wide excavations in the region, leading to the rediscovery of the ruins, and most notably, stunning villas and beautiful mosaics that had been well-preserved over time. It’s definitely worth diving deep into the waters to see.
The Sunken City of Dolchiste
Turkey is laden with beautiful islands and coastal towns that have, for the large part, been preserved for hundreds (sometimes thousands) of years. The coast of Kekova Island is home to an incredible sunken city – Dolchiste, which was destroyed by an earthquake back in the 2nd century. The only remaining living inhabitants of the ruins are a few goats.
In 1958, a Turkish army captain accidentally discovered the site, noticing the ruins under the clear waters. Since then, the government has protected the site, opening it to limited numbers of visitors and tourists, who can only see the ruins from their boats.
The Mahabalipuram Pagoda
A cluster of monuments can be found by the shore at the Bay of Bengal. When Europeans first reached it, a legend already existed at the time, which said that these monuments, along with the Shore Temple, used to have 6 other temples erected within the vicinity. The south Indian city of Mahabalipuram was, therefore, nicknamed “Seven Pagodas” after the legend.
But these myths were only revealed by a tsunami in 2004. As the water receded to signal the building up of huge waves, layers of sand were drawn out revealing the many relics of the ancient temples. Many witnesses saw the columns of the buried temple rise, which confirmed their existence without a doubt.