Six new wrecks discovered in the Baltic Sea

Listen to this article During hydrographic surveys conducted in the Baltic Sea by the Estonian Transport Board in 2020, six new and previously unknown wrecks were discovered. The pandemic situation and the declaration of an emergency in spring, Estonian hydrographers decided to use to map the bottom in their territorial waters and search for wrecks

ByMarcin Pawełczyk

Published: January 23, 2021 - 09:00

Updated: July 22, 2023 - 21:53

Six new wrecks discovered in the Baltic Sea

Listen to this article

During hydrographic surveys conducted in the Baltic Sea by the Estonian Transport Board in 2020, six new and previously unknown wrecks were discovered.

The pandemic situation and the declaration of an emergency in spring, Estonian hydrographers decided to use to map the bottom in their territorial waters and search for wrecks of sunken vessels. In 2020 they managed to survey a total area of 1216 km2 in the Baltic Sea and 47 km2 of Lake Pejpus.

-- Advertisement --

From the information given to the public by Peeter Valing, head of the hydrographic division of the maritime and water department, we learned that this work has resulted in a total of six new wrecks being found.

One wreck was found in the Gulf of Finland, one in the Väinameri Strait, another near the port of Kuivastu, near the Suur Strait, one south of the island of Viirelaid and two in waters south of the Gulf of Riga.

The vessel found in Kuivastu harbour is probably the Soviet destroyer Serdityi, which was sunk by the Germans in 1941. The others of the wrecks found have not yet been identified at this point and it may be quite difficult to determine their identity, as most of them are quite badly damaged.

Incidentally, it was also reported that as a result of data processing from work carried out in 2019 in the Gulf of Riga, it was possible to locate the aircraft. Divers exploring the designated site reached the wreckage and determined that it was a Soviet Il-2, which was shot down during World War II.

The Estonians also reported that on average each year their work results in around ten new shipwrecks being found and that currently the total number of shipwrecks on the Transport Administration’s inventory stands at 594. Of these, 490 have been found during hydrographic survey work and the rest have been identified from aerial photographs or previous navigational charts.

Photo preview/ETV

About author

Marcin Pawełczyk

Marcin’s journey with diving has been an adventure. Starting as a recreational diver, he soon found himself drawn to the fascinating stories and mysteries of Baltic wrecks. After gaining experience, Marcin decided to go beyond just leisurely exploration and took his training up a notch by completing the TMX course, allowing him to explore even deeper and uncover the secrets of inaccessible places. His next challenge has been cave diving, where he is honing his skills to become a certified diver. Not content to simply take in the breathtaking beauty of underwater life, Marcin has also embraced underwater photography since 2018, capturing stunning shots that bring these worlds alive for those who are unable to experience them first-hand. Marcin’s passion for the underwater has taken him far and is sure to continue doing so as he dives into new depths and captures breathtaking images.