NSD-0121

SL/E/PASI/M/17

Catalina Y-78 · Catalina

Year sunk: 1943
District: Batticaloa
Depth: 41.00–42.00 m
Vessel type: Aircraft

Overview

Remans of the RAF 'DUTCH' SQUADRON 321, Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina Y-78 Patrol boat that was lost during World War II. The Y-78, crashed at sea on its way to Andaman Islands to destroy Japanese Submarines. All crew survived. The aircraft sank on seabed 42m deep, off the coast of Passikudah.

The crash-site is apread over a 50-75 SQM area. Wings, Two Propellers, Engine Parts (Prat & Whitney Twin-Wasp Radial Engines), two wheels and parts of undercarriage can be found. The 'engineers window', speific to Catalina's can be seen.

The site is inhabited by a shoal of Blue-Striped Snappers and large Flower Groupers

Media gallery

Port Wing 8 May 2015 © D. Jayawardena/Ghosts of the Deep - Diving the Shipwrecks of Sri Lanka

Broken Wing 8 May 2015 © D. Jayawardena/Ghosts of the Deep - Diving the Shipwrecks of Sri Lanka

Metric Wave Radar Unit 5 Oct 2014 © D. Jayawardena/Ghosts of the Deep - Diving the Shipwrecks of Sri Lanka

Location

District: Batticaloa

Province: Eastern

Depth profile

41–42 m

Protection & status

Access: None
Legal status: None
Archaeological value: Low
Degradation: Very Fragile
Threat: Deterioration

Vessel chronology

1943

Year sunk

References & publications

Jayawadena, D. (2016) Ghosts of the Deep - Diving the shipwrecks of Sri Lanka, Vijitha Yapa Publications, Colombo, pp.206-217, 302-305.

Vakarei

SL/E/KAYA/M/11

Period: 2 nd World War
District: Batticaloa
Depth: 13–25 m

Vakarei

SL/E/KAYA/M/12

Period: Colonial - British
District: Batticaloa
Depth: 13–18 m

NSD-0044

SL/E/PASI/M/13

Period: Colonial - British
District: Batticaloa
Depth: 6–12 m

NSD-0045

SL/E/PASI/M/14

Period: Colonial - British
District: Batticaloa
Depth: 5–8 m