Greek businesswoman and photographer Marina Vernicos has completed a dive over a sunken World War II German reconnaissance aircraft off the island of Iraklia.
The Greek entrepreneur and visual artist shared video footage of the underwater excursion on her personal Instagram account. Wearing a one-piece swimsuit and flippers, Vernicos swam down through the clear Aegean waters to get as close as possible to the submerged wreckage.
Journalist Georgia Kotzia reported on the dive for Greek news outlet Protothema on August 20, 2026.
History of the Alimia Wreck
The aircraft lies at a depth of approximately 9 to 11 meters off Alimia beach on Iraklia, an island in the Cyclades complex. In a caption accompanying her social media post, Vernicos explained that the vessel is a German Arado AR 196 seaplane that served as a reconnaissance aircraft during the Second World War.
According to historical records cited by Vernicos, the German aircraft crashed in 1943 following an aerial dogfight with British planes. The crew onboard the seaplane survived the crash and was rescued.
Nearly four decades later, in 1982, local fishermen accidentally snagged the wreckage in their fishing nets. The plane was subsequently hauled into the shallow waters of Alimia beach, where it has remained ever since. Vernicos noted that when sea conditions are calm, observers can easily view the submerged plane directly from the water surface.
Recent Marine Activities and Vacations
The underwater dive in Iraklia is part of a series of summer sea outings for the photographer. On August 7, 2026, Vernicos caught a silver-cheeked toadfish, a toxic species found in Greek waters. Following the catch, she publicly stated that swimmers should not be afraid or avoid going into the sea.
Earlier in the summer, on July 30, 2026, Vernicos hosted Colombian-American actress Sofia Vergara during her vacation in Mykonos. The pair were photographed celebrating together aboard a private yacht off the Cycladic island.
Cyclades Diving and Heritage
Iraklia is a small island located in the Small Cyclades group, situated south of Naxos in the Aegean Sea. Known for its quiet beaches and clear waters, Alimia beach has become a destination for recreational divers and snorkelers seeking to view wartime relics in shallow depths.
The Arado AR 196 was a single-engine monoplane seaplane built by German manufacturer Arado Flugzeugwerke. Operating primarily from coastal naval bases and warships during World War II, the aircraft carried out reconnaissance missions across the Mediterranean and Aegean seas.
