Portobelo · Panama · Wreck
El Avion
A sunken plane resting off Buenaventura Island
El Avion is a sunken plane off Buenaventura Island, one of three dive sites around the island. The aircraft rests in about 21 m (70 ft) of water, and it is the plane wreck of the Portobelo dives, reached by boat alongside the island's two other sites.
Also known as El Avión.
Where it is and how deep
9.5406° N, 79.6818° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive is spent on the sunken plane, which lies off Buenaventura Island in about 21 m (70 ft) of water. It is one of three dive sites around the island, and the aircraft on the bottom is the whole point of this one.
The wreck
- Vessel
- El Avion
- Type
- Aircraft
- Cause
- Not recorded
- Lies
- On the bottom off Buenaventura Island in 21 m (70 ft) of water
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 | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Portobelo: Diving runs all year; May and August to October are the best months, and the rainy August and September count among them.
Questions divers ask
What certification does El Avion need?+
Advanced Open Water, since the plane lies at about 21 m (70 ft).
Sources
- Diving in Panamá — Visit Panamá
- Scuba Diving in Portobelo — Panama Casco Viejo
- Isla de Buenaventura — OpenStreetMap
More dive sites in Portobelo
Reef
Sponge-covered reef where legend puts Francis Drake's lost ship
Similar dives elsewhere
A 2021 light-plane wreck flat on the sand at 24 m
A small unnamed wreck at 15–22 m, home to morays and coneys
An intact 27 m patrol cutter at 18 m, with reef sharks circling it
Sunken trimaran and coral garden with light current, suited to all levels