Wrecks & Archaeology

Plinio III Wreck

Rare historical photo of Plinio III, Lake Como, Italy (Museo Barca Lariana/Public Domain)
Rare historical photo of Plinio III, Lake Como, Italy (Museo Barca Lariana/Public Domain)

Lake Como is famous worldwide for its beauty, the charm of its ancient villas, stunning lake views, iconic village of Bellagio and romantic setting. Under its surface, Lake Como hides hundreds of hidden treasures: ancient wrecks and incredible stories. One of those wrecks lies in the northern corner of the lake.

Afloat just after being launched at the Federal Shipbuilding Company yard, Kearny, New Jersey, 25 October 1941

Wreckage of USS Juneau a long-lost WWII cruiser located off Solomon Islands

The Research Vessel R/V Petrel’s autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) first identified the ship in its side scan sonar on March 17. Upon analysis of the sonar data, the Petrel crew deployed its remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) on March 18 to verify the wreckage through its video capabilities.

The USS Johnston off Seattle, Washington (USA), on 27 October 1943

USS Johnston, world's deepest known wreck, identified

The 115m-long US Navy destroyer is widely known for her bold action in the Battle off Samar, the Philippines.  The actions of the relatively lightly armed Johnston—sunk after a fierce battle with a large fleet of Japanese warships—helped stop the Japanese Admiral Kurita's Center Force from attacking vulnerable U.S.

Exploring UJ-2208: The WWII Battleship in Genoa

Diver explores the port side of UJ-2208, located off the coast of Genoa in Italy. Photo by Marco Mori.
Diver explores the port side of UJ-2208, located off the coast of Genoa in Italy. Photo by Marco Mori.

This is the incredible story of the French trawler that was turned into the German submarine fighter UJ-2208 during WWII and sunk by a British submarine off the coast of Genoa in 1944. Nowadays, the UJ-2208 lies on the seabed at a depth of 108m, covered in Mediterranean mud, fishing nets, shrimp and oysters.

A three masted ship, similar to WA08 which sank in the Thames Estuary, Essex in the mid-to-late 19th century, is docked at the busy Southampton Docks, with other sailing vessels visible in the background. Date: 1878

Two Mystery Merchant Shipwrecks Now Protected

The two wooden cargo vessels, known as GAD23 off Goodwin Sands in Kent and WA08 in the Thames Estuary in Essex, have been protected by scheduling. This means recreational divers can dive them but their contents are protected by law and must remain in situ.

The first Barracudas entered operational service on 10 January 1943 with 827 Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), who were deployed in the North Atlantic. Eventually a total of 24 front-line FAA squadrons were equipped with Barracudas.

British WWII torpedo bomber found in Norwegian fjord

On 22. February 1945 nine Fairey Barracuda from 821 Naval Air Squadron are launched from the aircraft carrier HMS Puncher in the North sea on a minelaying operation along the western coast of Norway, or more specifically Karmsundet which is a narrow strait south of the coastal town of Haugesund.

Adventure & Archaeology

Underwater archaeologist working on a site of amphorae on the shipwreck of the Mazotos, in Cyprus
Underwater archaeologist working on a site of amphorae on the shipwreck of the Mazotos, in Cyprus

On opposite sides of the planet from each another, two historic shipwrecks sit in a constant state of change. Both bear historical witness to the story of their day, yet they are very different: One is a Mediterranean cargo vessel from over 2,300 years ago, the other a Norwegian tanker that sank off the coast of New Jersey in 1964.

WW2 Soviet Destroyer 'Moscow'

What sank the Soviet destroyer Moscow?

About 13 hours later, at 4:40 pm, three submarines—Щ-205, Щ-206 and Щ-209 (Щ is short for Щука or shuka, which means pike in Russian)—received approval from the Kremlin to move towards the eastern shores of the Black Sea, while the M-33 and M-34 left for long-range patrol near the main base. It was the first day of the war in the Black Sea.

SS Kalle was a sister ship to SS Cotopaxi.

Wreck identified 95 years after ship's mysterious disappearance

The SS Cotopaxi—an American merchant steamer—left Charleston, South Carolina, on Nov. 29, 1925, with a cargo of coal,  destined for Havana, Cuba, but the vessel didn't make it far. The vessel vanished without a trace and the fate of the Cotopaxi and the 32 people on board has long puzzled experts.