Corsica · France · Wreck
Boeing B-17
A wartime Flying Fortress upright on clean sand at 25–28 m
Area photo: Arnaud Abadie · CC BY 3.0
An American B-17 Flying Fortress lies right-side-up on the sand between 25 and 28 m, at the foot of Calvi's citadel — the dive this coast is known for. The aircraft came down in 1944 and has been there since. Octopus, moray and conger eel, spiny and slipper lobster, red scorpionfish and shoals of sea bream are the species listed for the site.
Also known as B-17 Flying Fortress.
Where it is and how deep
42.5704° N, 8.7622° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The run out from the Port de Plaisance is a short one — the aircraft is at the citadel end of the bay. You drop onto sand and find it sitting right-side-up, as it came to rest; the bottom is between 25 and 28 m depending on where you are along the airframe, and French sources round the site to 26 m. That depth sets the shape of the dive — one deliberate lap rather than a long wander.
Work the aircraft slowly, because the interest is in what lives on and around it. Octopus, moray and conger eel head the species list here, with spiny lobster, slipper lobster and red scorpionfish for anyone hunting close, flabellina nudibranchs on the metal, and shoals of sea bream over the site. Come up with time in hand: at this depth the no-stop clock ends the dive well before the gas does.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
- Type
- US Army Air Forces heavy bomber
- Sunk
- 1944
- Cause
- Crashed off Calvi in 1944
- Lies
- Right-side-up on the sand between 25 and 28 m, at the foot of Calvi's citadel
The aircraft is a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress of the American army, and it came down off Calvi in 1944. It has lain at the foot of the citadel ever since, right-side-up on the sand between 25 and 28 m — close enough inshore that the citadel walls are the landmark on the surface. It is the wreck the Calvi centres are known for.
Marine life and season
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Macro critters
- Nudibranchs
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Corsica: Corsica's dive season runs roughly May to October; July and August are the peak tourist months, so June and September give the same sites with fewer boats.
Know before you go
- At 25–28 m the no-stop limit is short. Plan the lap around the airframe and start the ascent on an agreed time rather than on what you have left to look at.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the B-17 wreck at Calvi?+
It lies right-side-up on the sand between 25 and 28 m, at the foot of Calvi's citadel; French sources round the depth to 26 m. That is past entry-level limits, so plan it as a deep dive with a certification that covers 30 m.
What is there to see on the Calvi B-17?+
The aircraft itself, upright on clean sand, plus the life it has gathered: octopus, moray and conger eel, spiny and slipper lobster, red scorpionfish, flabellina nudibranchs and shoals of sea bream over the wreck.
Sources
- Boeing B17 (Wreck) - Scubago — Scubago
- Calvi - Wikivoyage (French) — Wikivoyage
More dive sites in Corsica
Drop-offs and underwater canyons between 15 and 40 m, northeast of Calvi
Pinnacle
A blue-water descent with no reference until the rock shows at 27 m
Sand slope
A marble statue on the sand at 24 m, and the bay's octopus ground
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A line of pitons from the surface down, best in the top 12 m
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Drop-offs, rocks and plateaus between 10 and 40 m
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A rocky peak at 15–40 m with dentex, grouper and schooling barracuda
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A submerged rock from 22 m down to 40 m, advanced and expert only
Reef
Reefs, caves and drop-offs from 5 m to 50 m by the research station
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