Luxury Sailing Yacht Anchor Damages WWII Aircraft Wreck

A newly launched luxury sailing yacht is under investigation after its anchor reportedly caused extensive damage to a rare World War II aircraft wreck on the seabed off France’s southern coast.

According to French maritime authorities and local media, the Orient Express Corinthian anchored in Les Lecques Bay near Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer on July 16. The next day, divers discovered that the wreck of a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft had been badly damaged, with large sections of the aircraft broken apart and scattered across the seafloor.

The aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean in 1944 after being shot down during World War II and rests approximately 38 meters (125 feet) below the surface. Since its discovery in 1996, the site has become one of the area’s most popular dive locations and serves as an artificial reef supporting a wide range of marine life.

The French Maritime Prefecture confirmed that the damage was caused by the anchor of the Orient Express Corinthian, which entered service earlier this year as the world’s largest sailing yacht. Authorities said the vessel had anchored in an area where anchoring is generally allowed but directly above the historic aircraft wreck.

Following the incident, officials temporarily banned both diving and anchoring around the site while experts assess the full extent of the damage.

Local diving organizations have described the destruction as a significant loss to France’s underwater cultural heritage and have renewed calls for stronger protection measures, including permanent mooring buoys or designated no-anchoring zones around historically important wrecks.

The incident has also sparked renewed debate over the protection of underwater archaeological sites. Although the wreck was well known within the diving community, reports indicate there were no physical markers or exclusion zones in place to prevent vessels from dropping anchor directly above it.

French media have reported that legal action could follow as authorities continue investigating the damage to the protected heritage site.

Operated by Orient Express Sailing Yachts, the Orient Express Corinthian was officially named in April 2026 and is currently sailing its inaugural Mediterranean season. The 220-meter vessel accommodates 110 guests in 54 luxury suites and is marketed as the world’s largest sailing yacht.