The airplane graveyard of Kwajalein Atoll, a vast lagoon in the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific Ocean, is an eerie yet mesmerising underwater world.
Here, in the warm, dappled light, the skeletal remains of around 150 World War II aircrafts rest in silent slumber.
Dumped in the lagoon in the wake of the war, the bombers and fighters have been reclaimed by the ocean, their corroded fuselages entwined with delicate sea fans. Schools of vibrant reef fish flit through the hollowed-out cockpits, while moray eels lurk in the shadows of rusting wings.
Scuba divers film a reef shark swimming over a World War II American airplane in Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Credit: GettyOver decades, coral polyps have crept across the metal, transforming the war machines into thriving reefs.
Sharks patrol the remains, their sleek forms gliding effortlessly past fractured propellers, while sea turtles pause to rest upon decaying bomb bays.
Many of the wrecks lie in relatively shallow, clear waters, making them popular dive sites for history enthusiasts and underwater photographers.
Most of the wrecks are American military planes, although the remains of Japanese aircrafts have also been found. Credit: Getty
The airplanes were sunk in the lagoon of Kwajalein Atoll after the end of World War II because they were no longer needed. Credit: Getty
A green sea turtle rests on a sunk World War II shipwreck at Kwajalein Atoll. Credit: Getty
A diver explores sunk World War II Douglas Dauntless airplanes. Credit: Getty
A diver looks into the cockpit of a sunk airplane, now a haven for corals. Credit: Getty
Due to the low oxygen and calm waters of the lagoon, many of the planes remain remarkably well-preserved. Credit: Getty
Many of the wrecks lie in relatively shallow, clear waters, making them popular dive sites. Credit: GettyMain image: B-25 WWII Airplane, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Credit: Getty
More amazing wildlife stories from around the world