IJN
Seaplane Tender
Length
148m
Peter Oording 2002
Ship History
This seaplane tender participated in the
Solomons Campagin, and narrowly escaped sinking at both Truk and Palau,
before finally being sunk at Coron Bay. During the "Operation Hailstone"
raid on Truk
Lagoon, dive bombers
from the carrier USS Enterprise dropped two 1,000 pound bombs on
the ship,
One hit
forward
of the
bridge
and the other at the extreme stern at 0620 on 16 Feb 1944. The next
day,
it was
hit again. One bomb hit just aft of amidships. An explosion resulted
in a large fire. Akitsushima was reported to be an aft engine ship.
Painted gray, it was originally mistaken to be a tanker. Akitsushima
escaped through the South
Pass and survived the attacks. It was also in Palau just
prior to the attacks by the Americans at the end of March 1944.
Sinking History
The
previously lucky Akitsushima was
finally sunk by the Americans on September 24, 1944 at Coron
Bay.
Wreckage Today
Located between Culion & Busuanga
Islands, near Manglet Island. The Akitsushima lies
on
her port side. She was hit near the stern where a flying boat was
stored on metal tracks, and sank immediately. The ship was
almost torn
into two pieces. The flying boat disappeared. Only half of the metal
on the starboard side and half of the metal on the bottom of the
ship kept the stern from separating from the rest of the ship. The
internal damage is impressive.
The crane was used for lifting the seaplane out of the water is intact. The crane is lying on the sandy bottom and attracts schools of giant batfish and barracudas. One mounting of a 3-barreled AA (antiaircraft) gun is still present at the front of the flying boat tracks. This is a fascinating dive where you can see giant groupers, schools of barracuda hiding under the bow, and yellow fin tuna.
Due to depth and metal hazards within, no swim thorough are allowed without wreck diver certification. Wreck divers can make an impressive penetration into the engine room to see the four engines. The gears and machinery for operating the crane are the main objects of interest for a penetration into the stern.
