Eighty three years after it sank, one of the rarest German navy torpedo boats from the Second World War has been located on the seabed of the Ionian Sea. It is the LS 6, a vessel long believed lost and which, according to historical evidence gathered so far, is the only surviving Leichte Schnellboot (fast attack craft) in the world.

The discovery was not a matter of chance. It was the result of research that began 13 years earlier, when evidence from German wartime archives revealed the probable location where the LS 6 had been lost in September 1943, while being towed from Corfu to Piraeus.

The information reached historical researcher Giorgos Karelas, who worked with divers and other researchers over several years to organise the search for the vessel. The first crucial step came when a target was located on the seabed at a depth of around 96 metres, in the wider Ionian sea area off Preveza.

“The fact that the vessel was built from aluminium to keep it light, and that it sank while under tow, made me consider it an exceptionally interesting target for historical and diving research,” said Giorgos Karelas, describing what sparked the years-long search.

Confirmation came from the AegeanTec team, who carried out a demanding technical dive using closed circuit rebreather systems. As the divers approached the seabed, the wreck’s distinctive silhouette of a small fast boat began to emerge from the darkness of the Ionian. The vessel was standing almost upright on the sandy seabed, remarkably well preserved despite the 83 years that had passed since it sank.

Distinctive construction details, the Junkers Jumo engines, the vessel’s dimensions and the tow cable still attached to the bow were the elements that led to its definitive identification as the LS 6.

The vessel’s history is closely tied to Kriegsmarine (the German navy) operations in the Aegean following Italy’s surrender. The LS 6 had been brought to Greece together with its sister vessel, the LS 5, for anti-submarine missions.

However, before it could see any substantial action, it suffered serious damage in a British air raid on Igoumenitsa. While being transported to Piraeus for repair, its aluminium hull could not withstand the strain of being towed, and it took on water and sank off Preveza.

The significance of the discovery goes far beyond that of just another Second World War wreck dive.

According to the historical data available, the LS 6 is the only surviving vessel of its class in the world. Its exceptional state of preservation offers valuable material for historical research, while once again highlighting the richness of Greece’s underwater cultural heritage.