Wilhelm Gustloff Wreck
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Wreck Category | non-dangerous wreck |
| Status | historic |
|
Wilhelm gustloff Wreck Location Marine Coordinates (DMM) |
55 7.531 N,17 42.185 E |
| Latitude, Longitude Decimal Degrees |
|
| Wreck Depth | 27.9 m |
| Water Depth | 44 m |
| Water Level Effect | always under water/submerged |
| Vertical Datum | Mean Sea Level |
| Name | WILHELM GUSTLOFF |
| Type | merchant vessel |
| Flag | DE |
| Length | 198.1 m |
| Width | 23.5 m |
| Draught | 7.9 |
| Sonar Length | 210 |
| Sonar Width | 49 |
| Orientation | 330 |
| Tonnage | 25484 |
| Tonnage Type | gross |
| Conspic Visual | not visually conspicuous |
| Conspic Radar | not radar conspicuous |
| Date Sunk | Jan 30, 1945 |
| Bottom Texture | Sand |
| Scour Dimensions | 010.5,086.4,002.8,330 |
| Original Detection Year | 1946 |
| Last Detection Year | 2024 |
| Original Source | national HO/authority notice to mariners |
| Surveying Details | H2815/46 26.8.46 NON DANGEROUS WK IN 550722N, 174150E. (RUSSIAN NM 187/46). INS AS NDW. BR STD. H6721/53 4.2.54 NOW SHOWN AS DW IN 550730N, 174202E ON POLISH 104. AMEND TO DW. BR STD. H4140/59 15.9.59 NOW SHOWN AS DW PA ON POLISH 104. AMEND TO DWPA. H2010/60 12.9.75 LEAST DEPTH OVER WK 23MTRS IN 550736N, 174200E [POL]. (POLISH NM 402/75). AMEND TO WK 23MTRS. BR STD. 9.2.80 STILL SHOWN AS DW ON POLISH 202 [1980 EDN]. NCA, RETAIN AS WK 23MTRS. 10.11.80 SS WILHELM GUSTLOFF. SINKING POSN GIVEN AS 550700N, 174200E. (SEA BREEZES, OCT '80). HH100/351/06 29.10.92 DIVED ON IN 550729N, 174227.5E. LIES ON PORT SIDE WITH BOW W. IDENTIFIED BY NAME ON BOW. TORPEDO DAMAGE OBSERVED ALSO PART OF THE SWIMMING POOL. (J COULON, 14.10.92). NCA. 8.5.97 VESSEL HAS RECENTLY BEEN PLUNDERED BY SPORTS DIVERS. POLISH GOVERNMENT HAS PUT A BAN ON UNAUTHORISED DIVING. (NAUTICAL MAGAZINE 2/97). HH323/450/02 13.4.99 NOW WK PA 23MTRS IN 5507.5N, 1742.2E [WGD]. (POLISH NM 10/180/99). BR STD. HH165/410/03 13.1.05 INS GENERAL LIMIT RADIUS 500MTRS CENTRED ON WK. CAUTION: 'THIS AREA IS THE BURIAL SITE OF SHIPWRECK VICTIMS. ANY ACTIVITY THAT MAY BREAK THE PEACE OF THIS SITE IS PROHIBITED'. (POLISH NM 49/706/04). INS AS CIRCULAR GENERAL LIMIT [5011 N1.2] OF MINIMUM RADIUS TO ENCOMPASS WRECK WITH NOTE: THIS AREA IS THE BURIAL SITE OF SHIPWRECK VICTIMS. ANY ACTIVITY THAT MAY DISTURB THIS SITE IS PROHIBITED'. - NM 760/05. 11.6.21 EXAM'D 24/1/2021; WK LOCATED IN 5507.530N, 1742.185E [WGD]. LEAST MBES DEPTH 28.32MTRS, IN GEN DEPTH 44MTRS. LENGTH 210MTRS, WIDTH 49MTRS, HT 16.26MTRS, ORIENTATION 330 DEGS. (HMS ECHO, H5252.1, DTD 26/5/2021). LARGE WK BROKEN INTO THREE DISTINCT SECTIONS. NFA. |
| Last Amended Date | Dec 20, 2024 |
Circumstances of loss
BUILT IN 1937 BY BLOHM AND VOSS. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY DEUTSCHE ARBEITSFRONT. MANAGED BY 'KRAFT DURCH FREUDE' [STRENGTH THROUGH JOY] ORGANISATION. OIL ENGINES OF 2360 NHP. BUILT TO PROVIDE CHEAP HOLIDAYS FOR THE WORKERS. DESIGNED FOR 1456 PASSENGERS, ALL TOURIST CLASS AND 426 CREW. PASSAGE FROM DANZIG WITH 5000 REFUGEES AND 3700 SUBMARINE PERSONNEL ONBOARD, THE PORT BEING THREATENED BY RUSSIAN ARMY. TORPEDOED BY RUSSIAN SUBMARINE S-13, STRUCK BY 3 TORPEDOES AND SANK IN 40 MINUTES. UNOFFICAL ESTIMATES OF UP TO 7500 REFUGEES, WOUNDED SOLDIERS & NAVAL PERSONNEL ONBOARD. ONLY 904 SURVIVORS. CONSIDERED THE WORST MARITIME DISASTER ON RECORD. (DODS, S ROGERS & SEA BREEZES, OCT '80).
WRECK MAP LOADING ...
55 7.531 N,17 42.185 E
Wilhelm Gustloff on Wreck Map
Wilhelm Gustloff Wreck on Google Map
Nearby Wrecks:
- Other Wreck 87760 6729.5 M
- Bengt Sture Wreck 9935.7 M
- Nordsee Ii Wreck 13776 M
- Bremer Western Wreck 14749.1 M
- Hochsee Ii Wreck 14966 M
- Other Wreck 87002 16546.4 M
- Other Wreck 87616 22419.1 M
- Bcw-1 Wreck 22507.5 M
- Seagull Wreck 22785.7 M
- Other Wreck 86991 25228.5 M
General Comments
Broken into three sections