Diving on the wreck site
The wreck rests on its keel at a depth of approximately 75 meters. Despite significant damage to the superstructure and the presence of fishing nets draped over the wreck, key structural features—including a massive crane, the funnel, the hull, and an expansive working deck—remain clearly visible. This makes the *Boelcke* an exceptionally interesting dive site in the vicinity of Hel.
Story
Flugsicherungsschiff Boelcke
Boelcke (K 54) was a German aviation support ship of the Karl Meyer class, operated by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Built in 1942 at the Norderwerft Köser & Meyer shipyard in Hamburg, she was 78 metres long and designed to support seaplane operations at sea.
Her most distinctive feature was a large 18-ton crane, used to lift seaplanes from the water onto the working deck. Boelcke could accommodate and service several aircraft, providing fuel, maintenance, technical support and recovery assistance. Ships of this class formed an important part of the Luftwaffe’s maritime rescue and seaplane support network.
During the final months of the war, Boelcke operated in the Baltic Sea, where she was involved in support and evacuation duties as German forces withdrew from East Prussia. On 16 April 1945, while sailing in the area of the Hel Peninsula, the vessel was attacked by Soviet Il-2 ground-attack aircraft. Bomb hits caused serious damage in the forward engine-room area, resulting in fire and loss of power, although the ship initially remained afloat.
The following morning, on 17 April 1945, Boelcke was attacked again and sank several nautical miles east of Hel.
Technical Specifications
Length: 78 m
Width: 10.8 m
Draft: 3.7 m
Displacement: 1157 t
Crew: 66 people
Propulsion: 4 × 12-cylinder MAN diesel engines, 8800 hp (6472 kW), 2 propellers.
Speed: 21.5 knots Armament: 3 × 3.7 cm anti-aircraft guns, 2 × 2.0 cm anti-aircraft guns, 3 × seaplanes
Interesting facts about the wreck
The wreck was discovered in 2013 by Polish technical divers from the dive vessel "Litoral."
Text: Bartłomiej Pitala
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