C-47 Skytrain Wreck, Kaş

The wreck of a Douglas C-47 Skytrain was sunk on 1 July 2009 in the bay of Kaş on the Turkish Mediterranean coast for divers. The wreck is today one of about 30 dive sites in the bay of Kaş.

Aircraft

The C-47 Skytrain is the military version of the Douglas DC-3. The C-47 served as a transport for training parachutists of the Turkish Air Force. It was donated after the decommissioning of a dive base in Kaş. With the help of the aircraft a new artificial reef was to be created in the bay. Furthermore, the sinking was intended to create another dive attraction in Kaş. The aircraft was sunk on 1 July 2009 and lies today largely intact at about 20 metres water depth on the sandy seabed. Because of the open side hatch the interior is also diveable. The middle section is empty except for the still present parachutist benches. The cockpit is divided into two areas. In the rear part is the space for the navigator, in the front the actual cockpit with the two seats. In the cockpit it is so cramped that a diver can only swim out backwards. In the stern is another compartment that can also be dived in. Here there used to be a toilet and storage for equipment.

Dive site

The dive site is named Fener Kulesi or Lighthouse/Dakota and is located a little south of the Kaş lighthouse. It is only reachable by boat. The surroundings of the wreck are characterized by sandy substrate, and because of the protected location there are no waves and no currents, but visibility is often limited. The wreck attracts many fish, it is moderately encrusted. The dive site is also well suited for beginner divers. North of the wreck are remains of a former aquaculture on the seabed. A reef is located on the shore side.

C-47 wreck in Bodrum

Another C-47 wreck of the Turkish Air Force was sunk on 1 July 2008 near Bodrum. The wreck initially lay at a water depth of between 12 and 27 metres, but due to sea conditions it slid down the slope and is today at a depth of 25 to 30 metres. During the slide it was heavily damaged.