- Antilla shipwreck
The "Antilla" is
World War II shipwreck off the coast ofAruba that is a popularsnorkeling andscuba diving destination.When
Germany invaded theNetherlands onMay 10 ,1940 , the relationship between the two nations was obviously strained. As part of theKingdom of the Netherlands , this extended to Aruba. The "Antilla" was a GermanU-boat supply ship that was anchored off the coast of Aruba at the time. A contingent ofDutch Marines gave the ship 24 hours to surrender.The "Antilla" was fairly new at the time, and rather than see her turned over to the enemy, the Captain decided to scuttle the ship. After putting the crew ashore, he heated up the boilers, which were amidships, and opened the sea cocks. When the cold sea water hit the hot boilers, they exploded, ripping the ship in half. It sank in eight minutes.
At 400 feet long, the "Antilla" is the
Caribbean ’s largest shipwreck. It lies on its port side at a maximum depth of 55 feet, though it can readily be seen from the surface. Its location is approximately N 12.60175 W 070.05815.External links
* [http://www.redsailaruba.com/ar_divesites.html Aruba divesites]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.