Sitting peacefully on the sandbanks just off Norman's Cay, the skeleton of this plane tells the story of how the infamous narcotics kingpin Pablo Escobar once smuggled cargo to the USA as part of an international drug ring.
Jutting out above the water in the shallows on the south side of Norman's Cay, this plane is shrouded in myth and legend. The story behind this plane has been told and retold so many times that it's hard to separate fact from fiction- but the history of Norman's Cay is certainly true.
For years, the tiny island was at the epicenter of a drug-smuggling ring. Planes would land on the tiny man-made runway (which is thought to have been built by Pablo Escobar himself) to refuel before continuing their journeys to the USA to drop off their illegal cargo.
Pablo Escobar was part of the cartel that used Norman's Cay for these purposes in the 1970s and 80s.
The WWII-era plane was thought to be carrying cocaine when it landed just shy off the runway in 1980. It came to its final resting place on a sandbar between two outcrops of land on the southern end of Norman's Cay.
Unlike the escapades and crimes the wreck represents, there’s nothing dark or sinister about this dive site.
Fortunately, there were no casualties, and the passengers even managed to rescue their cargo before swimming to safety. The former smuggler’s plane now provides an intimate glimpse into a criminal underworld that’s gone on to inspire a hit TV series and countless acclaimed movies.
Guests on a luxury yacht charter might expect such an infamous site to be totally off-limits due to its harrowing past. However, unlike the escapades and crimes the wreck represents, there’s nothing dark or sinister about this dive site.
The plane wreck now acts as an artificial reef and has attracted a rainbow of different fish and marine life that you can experience up close when swimming through the sunken aircraft. Depending on the tides, the plane usually sits at a depth of around 10 feet below the surface, making it one of the most fascinating and easily accessible dive sites in the region.
If you'd like to explore the hidden wonder of Pablo Escobar's Plane Wreck as part of your yacht charter itinerary, please speak with your prefered yacht charter broker.
Alternatively, view the entire fleet of luxury superyachts available for Bahamas yacht charters.
