A few months before the end of World War II, two pilots were training at very low altitude, almost skimming the ground. Their paths crossed without either of them realizing the other’s presence, leading to an inevitable collision. One of the planes exploded, scattering debris over kilometers. Its pilot met a certain death, while the second was lucky to manage a water landing, although his aircraft quickly sank. The wreckage sank to about 30 meters deep, and it wasn’t rediscovered until 1990, intact. Unfortunately, trawls damaged its tail and a recent looting led to the dismantling of the dashboard and the cutting of the left wing to extract the machine gun.
The Junker 52 in Bastia: Recently discovered, almost by chance
The list of Corsican wrecks continues to grow (see Dive! No. 32). Recently, Tony Viacara discovered a Junker 52 during a freediving training south of Bastia. This bomber is nearly 30 meters wide and 19 meters long. Only the rear tail, one engine, pieces of wings, and various debris remain. Its state of deterioration is due to the violence of the crash and subsequent trawling. This site, located at 26 meters deep on a sandy bottom dotted with seagrass, offers a certain interest for divers.
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