These Three Sunken Wrecks Off The Solomon Islands Are Haunting Reminders of World War II

Off the coast of a pristine Pacific island, diver Christopher Hamilton plunges through the turquoise waters in search of ghosts. Somewhere in the depths beneath him, the remains of three 1940s aircraft lie on the seabed, frozen in time. And their hulking shells transport him back to one of the key battlegrounds of World War II as they emerge from the gloom.

Not known by many

For many years, these haunting wrecks have lain in the dark, known only to a small handful of locals on the Solomon Islands. But thanks to the work of explorers such as Hamilton, their strange beauty all can see their strange beauty. Swamped in coral and slowly rusting away, these long-lost fighter planes offer a glimpse into a distant and violent world.

Welcome to the Solomon Islands

Almost 80 years ago, the skies over the South Pacific exploded as the Allies and the Japanese battled on land, sea and air. And by the time the fighting died down, over 90 ships and more than 2,000 aircraft had been lost around the Solomon Islands alone. Now, divers are rediscovering their wrecks and capturing evocative photographs that serve as chilling reminders of the horrors of war.

Countless small islands

An archipelago of half a dozen major islands and countless smaller ones spread out across the South Pacific, the Solomon Islands lie some 2,000 miles off the Australian coast. Today, their white sand beaches seem a world away from the hustle and bustle of the wider world. But back in the 1940s, war came calling at this remote part of Oceania. And the scars of those battles are still visible.

Surprise that shocked the world

On December 7, 1941, the Second World War – which had been raging for two years – took an unexpected turn. In the early hours of the morning, Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, decimating the United States naval fleet. And with that, America entered the conflict.