Discovery of German WWII shipwrecks

The discovery of rare German World War II vessels has been documented in both the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea.

In the Ionian Sea near Preveza and the island of Lefkada, Greece, divers located the LS 6, a Leichte Schnellboot fast-attack craft. Found at a depth of approximately 96 meters, the vessel is noted as a rare, largely intact example of its class. It sank in September 1943 following a British air raid.

In the Polish Baltic Sea, between the Danish island of Bornholm and the Polish coast, two German U-boats were identified. The U-583, which sank in November 1941 after a collision during a training mission, was located at a depth of 65 to 70 meters. The wreck is reported to be in relatively good condition but is partially covered by fishing nets. The U-649 was also discovered; it sank in February 1943 following a collision. Both vessels serve as maritime war graves.

Christian Lübcke of the German War Graves Commission (Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge) has raised concerns regarding the potential looting of these sites. While noting that Poland has historically led in protecting such wrecks through the UNESCO Convention, Lübcke warned that a recent loosening of protection regulations in the region poses a risk to these maritime graves.