Chuuk Lagoon · Micronesia · Wreck
I-169 Submarine
A Japanese cruiser submarine sunk at its anchorage
Area photo: Matt Kieffer · CC BY-SA 2.0
I-169 is a Kaidai-class cruiser submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy that sank at its anchorage northwest of Dublon in 1944, when it dived with its hatches open. It is the lagoon's submarine wreck, a deep dive with gorgonians and sea anemones on its hull.
Also known as I-169, I-169 Shinohara, Shinohara, I-69.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Chuuk Lagoon and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The 98 m (320 ft) submarine rests in about 38 m (125 ft) of water, and the dive stays between 34 and 40 m (110 and 130 ft) along its hull. Gorgonians and sea anemones grow over it. The interior can be entered only by divers in sidemount configuration.
The wreck
- Vessel
- I-169
- Type
- Kaidai-class cruiser submarine
- Length
- 98 m (322 ft)
- Built
- 1935
- Sunk
- 1944
- Cause
- Dived with deck hatches open and induction valve unsecured; after compartments flooded
- Lies
- On the bottom in about 38 m, northwest of Dublon
Commissioned in 1935 as I-69 and later renumbered I-169, the submarine was at anchor in Truk Lagoon northwest of Dublon on 4 April 1944 when an air raid came. She submerged with most of her deck hatches open and her main induction valve unsecured, and her after compartments flooded at once. Japanese depth charges later heavily damaged her bow and conning tower.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime |
Season follows Chuuk Lagoon: December to April is the dry season, driest from January to March; June to September brings the heaviest rain.
Know before you go
- Penetration of the submarine requires sidemount configuration.
Dive videos
10.2 Shinohara I-169 Submarine , Chuuk Lagoon, October 2018 · Dariusz Wakulinski on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can divers go inside the I-169 submarine?+
Only in sidemount configuration. The hull lies at 34 to 40 m, so even a dive along the outside needs deep training.
Sources
- Japanese submarine I-169 — Wikipedia
- Commonly Visited Truk Dive Sites — Truk Odyssey
- Truk Lagoon — Wetpixel
- Wrecks — Truk Stop Hotel
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