Inside a German Junkers 88 Wreck | The Bomber That Nearly Destroyed Malta’s Rotunda

A crack in the floor of a Maltese church tells one of the most unbelievable stories of World War II. And the wreck we’re diving today—an 80-year-old German Junkers 88 bomber—played a major role in that history. In this DiveSAGA episode, we head out three kilometers offshore and descend to 55 meters / 180 feet to explore one of Malta’s best preserved WWII aircraft wrecks: a German Junkers Ju 88, the same type of bomber responsible for dropping more than 15,000 tons of explosives on Malta between 1940 and 1942. But not all missions were deadly. On April 9, 1942, a Ju 88 dropped a 500kg bomb directly onto the Rotunda of Mosta—one of the largest unsupported domes in the world—while hundreds of civilians were inside. The bomb tore through the dome, bounced off a wall, and landed on the church floor… without exploding. This moment became known as The Miracle of Mosta. Today, we connect that miracle to history you can touch: ➡️ the broken tail section of the Junkers 88 ➡️ the cockpit, engines, and mechanical details still intact ➡️ the eerie silence of a war machine preserved on the sea floor ➡️ and the air-raid shelters beneath the Rotunda that protected civilians from these exact bombers This is a technical trimix dive (20/20 bottom gas, 50% and 80% deco gases), and the wreck requires a Heritage Malta permit. Our team—Nadine Bauer, Job Borg, Danielle Bertaggia, and Captain Mark—joins again to help document this unique part of Malta’s underwater heritage. Huge thanks to Visit Malta and underwatermalta.org for supporting this exploration. As we decompress, the wreck becomes a reminder of the 70–85 million lives lost in WWII… and of how the machines built for destruction now lie quietly underwater, being reclaimed by the sea. ⭐ What You’ll See in This Episode A rare German Ju 88 plane wreck at 55m The broken tail and main fuselage The preserved cockpit and rivet patterns The Rotunda of Mosta “miracle bomb” site This episode was made possible with the help of @VisitmaltaGozoComino 🇲🇹 ⌚ Here are the time stamps for you: 00:00 Introduction 01:02 World War 2 comes to Malta 01:34 Junkers 88 02:17 Leaving Port to go diving 02:55 Depth and Temperature during the Technical Dive 04:10 Starting the Dive 04:45 Tail Section of the Junkers 88 05:42 The Rotunda of Mosta 07:40 The Ju88 aircraft wreck body 10:16 Starting Decompression Join this channel to support our SCUBA productions and get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkADALL6YXv8sMv2JCO8sXw/join DiveSAGA ✨ All Access Members get: 🔊 Member shout-outs 🚩 Production Photos and status updates 🎶 Access to the DiveSAGA Soundtrack 🧪 Access to the SCUBA SCIENCE scripts 📄 Acces To Dive Debrief videos Please visit my website to get more information: http://www.divesaga.com/ 🔔𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬. https://www.youtube.com/@DiveSAGA/?sub_confirmation=1 ✅ Important Links to Follow 📰 Read SAGA MAGAZINE https://www.divesaga.com/magazine 📖 Get the BOOK "Career in SCUBA" https://amzn.to/32kpaja 🔗 Stay Connected With Me. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/divesaga Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/divesaga TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divesaga Website: http://www.divesaga.com/ 📩 For business inquiries: info@divesaga.com ============================= 🎬Suggested videos for you: ▶️ https://youtu.be/Tj7atB9hllc ▶️ https://youtu.be/hLb7Yx23VTQ ▶️ https://youtu.be/TiLmFTtY6C4 ▶️ https://youtu.be/9z8W5Sox3_A ▶️ https://youtu.be/6x1k0Vw1LX0 ▶️ https://youtu.be/G3cY0QT2cSE ▶️ https://youtu.be/PnFPiF_g2QI ▶️ https://youtu.be/Oe3OlP6Z8-s ▶️ https://youtu.be/RljqOptI0HM ▶️ https://youtu.be/6FbJCPFEVVA ▶️ https://youtu.be/AEQY2Re4Bpk ▶️ https://youtu.be/b3kQ17JCR6w ▶️ https://youtu.be/3syjvLOaz5M ▶️ https://youtu.be/JEptbzSKCxY ▶️ https://youtu.be/QhbRgP2RIWc ================================= ✅ About Dive SAGA - Scuba diving. Welcome to Dive SAGA, your destination for world-class scuba diving adventures and education. Led by award-winning SCUBA instructor trainer Nick Derutter, this channel explores the depths of our planet through the lens of history, science, and travel. From cave diving, technical and wreck diving to ice diving and more, Dive SAGA is built for passionate divers. Whether you're a beginner dreaming of your first dive or an experienced diver looking to refine your skills, you'll find value in every episode. Dive SAGA features expert equipment reviews, career insights for aspiring dive professionals, and immersive footage from some of the world’s most breathtaking underwater locations. For Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: info@divesaga.com 🔔 Love scuba diving, shipwrecks, and deep-sea adventures? Hit subscribe for expert tips, gear reviews, breathtaking footage, and epic dive stories. https://www.youtube.com/@DiveSAGA/?sub_confirmation=1 ================================= Hashtags #scuba #diving #scubadiving #malta #underwater #divesaga #wwii #history