Diving on a plane wreck often means immersing on a small war machine or descending to extreme depths. Recently, it has become possible to explore an Airbus A300 not far from our shores, in Turkey, at just 20 meters deep.
Sunk in June 2016 off Kusadasi, in the west of Turkey, in the Aegean Sea, this A300 was scuttled to attract divers from around the world to the country’s waters. Operation successful, as one of our readers visited the site last October to explore and photograph this iron monster, and has agreed to share his pictures.
Accessible from the dive clubs in Kusadasi for an additional fee, the wreck is only about fifteen minutes of sailing from the coast. The plane is easily accessible from the boat along a line. There is no current and only 20 meters to descend to reach the wreck: this dive with no particular difficulty is therefore accessible to everyone, from level 1!
Resting on a sandy bottom, the A300 is in perfect condition; the doors and windows have been removed, allowing access to the cabin and cockpit. The interior of the airplane is empty, the seats have disappeared; however, the pilot seats and the cockpit panel, stripped of all its instruments, remain at the front of the aircraft. Divers can thus take the controls and imagine themselves as pilots… It is also possible to access the hold, through the floor, removed in some places.
The plane has been lying on a sandy bottom for only 14 months, and there is no reef around, so life is still timid amidst the metal. The flora has not yet had time to develop, and only very rare fish dare to venture this far. It will take a while before one can observe underwater life at this spot.
Margot Harty