Divers discover remarkably preserved WWII German landing craft in Brač Channel

(Illustration)

Two Croatian divers have discovered an almost completely preserved German landing craft sunk during Allied bombing raids in 1944 in the Brač Channel.

Professional divers Damir Srzić and Bojan Runtić located the wreck after following stories passed down by local fishermen.

What they found lying between 30 and 60 metres deep astonished them, a German vessel largely untouched by time, with its weapons, helmets, and personal items still on board.

“When we first spotted the outline, we weren’t sure if it was just rock or a ship,” said Runtić in an interview with HRT. “When I descended and realised it was a vessel, it was an incredible experience.”

Srzić explained that the area, known to fishermen as ‘zadivak’, had long been rumoured to conceal something below the surface. “People knew something was there, but no one knew exactly what. Now we do, and we wanted to share it with the public so everyone can see what remains after 80 years,” he said.

Historical records show that five German ships were sunk in the area during the retreat of German forces in September 1944.

Srzić and Runtić knew the approximate locations of two more but said finding them precisely remains a challenge.

“On our third attempt, we managed to locate this vessel in the Brač Channel. According to military data, it’s a landing craft destroyed in Allied air attacks,” Srzić added.

The divers described the find as remarkably intact. The 20-metre-long, 5- to 6-metre-wide craft still contains its machine guns, ammunition boxes, helmets, life jackets, anchors, and even a compass.

“It was beautiful to see, everything still in place,” said Runtić. “Visibility was excellent for the depth. The hull has visible holes, likely from Allied bombs, and equipment is scattered around. Touching something that no one had held for eight decades was a special feeling.”

Among the most striking sights was a soldier’s mess tin, left just as it had been in 1944.

“You can almost sense the moment of the attack,” Runtić tells HRT. “There’s a tin from which a German soldier was probably eating breakfast or lunch when the bombs fell. He threw it aside, and it’s still there. It’s like time stopped.”

The pair plan to continue searching for the remaining sunken vessels in the area and promise to share their discoveries with the public once again.

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