Thousands of warplanes, battleships and even tanks lurk beneath the waves – for while the wreckage of the Second World War has been cleared away on the surface long ago, beneath the waves the machines of that war live on
THESE incredible images taken at the bottom of oceans show how saltwater has taken its toll on some of the world’s most fearsome military machines.
Some are the watery graves of brothers, sons or dads – friends or lovers – who met their sudden deaths, while others are the contents of spilled cargo from ships, stricken and listing after being hit by bombs, shells or torpedoes.
The wreckage of a B-17 Flying Fortress which crashed in World War II now lays in the waters off CroatiaCredit: Caters News Agency
The main reason why these underwater resting places are still intact is because they are protected from divers under the global Sunken Military Craft Act.
And they definitely need safeguarding from the crooks as even rusty steel currently fetches more than £100 a tonne on the international black market.
A recovered destroyer could easily land a crew of underwater looters a hefty profit of £100,000 – and also some serious jail time.
One site alone – called ‘Million Dollar Point’ in the Pacific Ocean – is a treasure trove of US military equipment which was dumped following the war.
This mighty military vehicle nicknamed ‘King Abdullah’s tank’ can be found at Aqaba, JordanCredit: Caters News AgencyA free diver mimics a sunken WWII DC-3 aircraft downed off the coast of TurkeyCredit: MedaviaA Norton motorcycle found inside a scuppered Royal Navy ship in the Egyptian Red SeaCredit: Super Jolly / mediadrumworld.comA pair of divers explore the wreck of the Giannis D near Abu Nuhas reef in EgyptCredit: Solent NewsA Japanese WWII tank lies in the murky waters of Makada harbour in Papua New GuineaCredit: Caters News AgencyA fish makes it home on the wreckage of a British WWII merchant ship found in the Red SeaCredit: Super Jolly / mediadrumworld.comAn abandoned war plane found off of the coast of Roi-Namur, Marshall IslandsCredit: Media Drum WorldCoral has completely taken over this abandoned warplaneCredit: Media Drum WorldPart of the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee (R), sunk in River Plate, ArgentinaCredit: AFPChildren play on the wreckage of a WWII Japanese flying boat in Papua New GuineaCredit: Getty – ContributorA twin-engined Dornier 17 German wartime bomber discovered on a sandbank off Deal, KentCredit: HandoutThe wreck of a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber which crashed in Croatian watersCredit: Caters News AgencyA scuba diver with a downed American plane found off the coast of Roi-Namur, Marshall IslandsCredit: Media Drum WorldA Japanese midget submarine sunk before the attack on Pearl HarbourCredit: Hawaii Undersea Research LaboratoryFish drift above a rusting vehicles in the hold of the SS Thistlegorm in EgyptCredit: Super Jolly / mediadrumworld.comA Grumman Hellcat fighter plane found near the Soloman IslandsCredit: CHPhotographicA diver swims next to the wreck of a Dakota DC-3 in the waters of Kas, TurkeyCredit: MedaviaAnti-aircraft gun mounted in position on the stern of a ship in the Red SeaCredit: Super Jolly / mediadrumworld.comThe hull of a sunken U-boat sub off the North West coast of Ireland
