Klaipėda & Curonian Spit · Lithuania · Wreck
Fusilier
A large wartime transport sunk off Nemirseta, lying in shallow water
The Fusilier was a transport motor ship serving the German navy, shelled from the shore and then bombed by Soviet aircraft off Nemirseta late in the Second World War. Most of the soldiers and crew aboard died. Its large hull lies just over a nautical mile off the beach north of Klaipėda, within reach of divers without deep training.
Also known as MS Fusilier.
Where it is and how deep
55.8760° N, 21.0450° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The ship lies at 19 m, bow to the south, heeled onto its starboard side and sunk into the sand almost to the upper deck, with a strip of sand around it and stony seabed beyond. The starboard anchor still hangs in its housing at the bow. The bow has broken away from the hull, and the break opens into the toilet and bathroom spaces.
Aft of the engine, sheets of metal, pipes and fallen structure cover the holds. The stern leans further onto the starboard side, and only the tops of the rudder and propeller show above the sand.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Fusilier
- Type
- Transport motor ship
- Cause
- Shelled from the shore, then bombed by Soviet aircraft
- Lies
- On its starboard side, bow to the south, sunk in sand at 19 m off Nemirseta
An auxiliary of the German navy, the Fusilier sailed from Pillau at night and was seen from the shore off Nemirseta the next morning. Soviet tanks and guns opened fire, its anti-aircraft ammunition caught fire, and with the anchor dropped the ship could not get away. Bombers struck later that morning and it sank around midday. Few aboard survived. A memorial stone stands in the German military cemetery in Klaipėda.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Klaipėda & Curonian Spit: July and August bring the warmest water; winter is the coldest stretch, with the sea averaging about 5 °C.
Dive videos
Diving in Baltic Sea at cargo shipwrek Fusilier 2021-09-11 GOPR0847 · Oleg Lyan on YouTube
Sources
- Wreck Fusilier — Oktopusas D.C.
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