Wreck Diving in Kaş: The Dakota Plane Wreck and the Tank
Three real wrecks in Kaş: the Dakota C-47 plane at 22 m, one of the world's few divable tanks, and the Dimitri ship. How deep, which certification, and how to dive them?
- The Dakota C-47 plane wreck sits at ≈22 m with a 29 m wingspan; guided entry into the cargo bay
- The tank wreck lies at ≈14-20 m; one of the world's few divable tanks
- The Dimitri ship rests at 25 m in the Canyon, propellers at 40 m
- All three are dived from our own boat out of Kaş Harbour on day trips
Why Kaş is Turkey's wreck town
Most regions are known for a single wreck; Kaş has three real ones reachable from one harbour: a plane, a tank and a cargo ship. All three sit among our mapped dive sites and are dived from our boat as part of a day-trip programme. Thanks to the water clarity, the wrecks appear as silhouettes on the descent, which is a big part of why photographers love Kaş.
The Dakota C-47 plane wreck (≈22 m)
Gliding over an aeroplane underwater is the bucket-list moment for most divers, and in Kaş it's real. A WWII-era transport plane, the Dakota C-47 was purposely sunk at 22 metres to create an artificial reef and quickly became the icon of diving in Kaş. It sits on the sand with a 29-metre wingspan and a 20-metre fuselage; the cockpit and wings are legendary for photos, and the cargo bay can be entered with a guide.
Because of its depth, the Dakota calls for advanced certification and experience. If you hold Open Water, we recommend gaining deep-dive experience with the Advanced course first, and we'll plan it together.
The tank wreck (≈14-20 m)
Divable tank wrecks worldwide can be counted on one hand, and one of them is in Kaş. A real 45-ton, US-built 1960 model complete with its 105 mm gun was sunk in 2016 as an artificial reef for dive tourism: first lowered to 5 metres in Kaş Harbour, then moved to its spot off Pigeon Island. Quickly wrapped in sponges and schooling fish, the tank lies at roughly 14-20 metres, which makes it an ideal introduction to wreck diving.
Bonus: the Dimitri in the Canyon
Kaş's third wreck is the least known: the Dimitri, a cargo ship carrying cotton that struck the islands in 1968, lies at 25 metres in the deep section of the Canyon, with her propellers at 40 metres. Because of its depth and profile the Canyon is an advanced dive, and big pelagic fish can appear at depth.
Which certification for which wreck?
- Never dived: the path starts with a discovery dive; the wrecks are the goal after certification.
- Open Water: your first wreck is the tank; for the Dakota we recommend deep-dive experience with the Advanced course first.
- Advanced and beyond: the whole route is open, Dakota and Canyon included; our captain and instructors pick the day's sites based on conditions.
If the certification process is the question mark, our step-by-step certification guide covers it. We dive the wrecks on our day trips, as part of a two-dive full-day programme, and every dive runs from our own boat in Kaş Harbour.
