He did not reach the landing lights

This story occurred near Wai Island, located next to the western coast of Papua. On the island during World War II there was an American military base. And from it regularly planes are sent to different tasks.



And according to the stories the pilot of this plane was not lucky. On the way back, he ran out of fuel, and he did not quite reach his landing line. But for the pilot, for example, it was better than for the plane - he managed to get out and swim to the shore. The plane on the photo is American, either P-37B or P-47B. It lies 50 meters from the shore at a depth of about 30 meters. And next to this sea there are two more such aircraft ...



The plane is already overgrown with corals. After all, many years have passed. And if you look from the surface it is not so easy to see on the background of the reef, especially through the water. Depth there on the bottom about 30 m and from the surface it's understandable nothing is visible. Because of this, we had a very interesting story on the dive.



Since there were several photographers among us. And we decided to split into two groups. So that we do not interfere with each other. I got in the first. The second was to go into the water in 20-30 minutes.

Diving for a plane. The guide confidently chooses a place and goes down. We are behind it. The depth of 5, 10, 15, 20 aircraft is nowhere to be seen. Here already 25 and around only ordinary corals. At this flow along the reef is very decent. Keep in the thick unrealistic - demolishes immediately. The search for the plane around did not give anything



I must say that the local guides are very simple - well, there is no plane. What to do. Maybe something has taken him ... or he flew away himself) And the guide suggests walking along the reef.

But this place except as an airplane is not noticeable. And before that we have been diving in beautiful places for two weeks. So this is not an option. As a result, I alone swam to the top to wait for the second group - they seem to have to know exactly where the plane is. I lay down at 5 meters and waited, saving the air and escaping the current.



After about 15 minutes, the second group falls. Approximately the same place where we are, maybe a little off to 20-30 meters. They see me asking with gestures as there is an airplane. I try to explain to them, just by gestures that they did not find, and that they were leading.

It was then that the most amusing happened: they regarded my gestures as a direction to the plane. And they all sailed off to the side. And I understood them that they know we are swimming for us. In the end, we all sailed 10 minutes against the current confident that the other knows where to. And the funniest thing is we found the plane))



Well, and about what happened this funny misunderstanding, we found out by talking on the surface. At the same time he heard the grumbling of the other members of the first group, who did not find the plane.

[//]:# (!steemitworldmap -0.891573 lat 131.034966 long He did not reach the landing lights d3scr)