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SaltwaterOceanShipwreckSource Checked

NBM Dive Site Resource

U-166

Deep Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, United States

German Type IXC submarine U-166 lies in more than 5,000 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico; it is a deep-ocean archaeological and memorial site accessible only by research-class vehicles.

Save this dive site to your free member profile.

Historic Photograph

NOAA Maritime Heritage Program photograph of the deck gun on the sunken German submarine U-166.
NOAA Maritime Heritage Program image of the deck gun on the sunken U-166 in the Gulf of Mexico. This image depicts the actual wreck.NOAA Maritime Heritage Program; collection of LCDR Jeremy Weirich, NOAA Corps, via Wikimedia Commons. · Public domain — NOAA/U.S. Government workSource ↗
WaterMarine
AccessResearch authorization and an ROV or crewed submersible are required. This is not a scuba-diving destination; coordinate and operational data should come from the responsible research and regulatory organizations.
ExperienceResearch ROV or crewed-submersible operations only; not diveable by scuba
Maximum depthMore than 5,000 ft / approximately 1,500 m; ROV or submersible access only.
Best seasonResearch-cruise and authorization dependent.
VisibilityDeep-ocean visibility and conditions depend on vehicle lighting, currents and sediment disturbance.

Aquatic life at this dive site

What divers may encounter

Three reviewed connections are featured here. Sightings vary by season, conditions, and chance, so they are never guaranteed.

Profile connection reserved

Aquatic life research in progress

NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.

Profile connection reserved

Aquatic life research in progress

NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.

Profile connection reserved

Aquatic life research in progress

NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.

Site media

Photographs

Three views rotate from the published gallery on each visit.
Illustrated scuba diver reserved for a future dive-site photograph
Dive Photograph PlaceholderDive-site photograph pending
Illustrated scuba diver reserved for a future dive-site photograph
Dive Photograph PlaceholderDive-site photograph pending
Illustrated scuba diver reserved for a future dive-site photograph
Dive Photograph PlaceholderDive-site photograph pending

Contributor media

Dive videos

Three featured video positions are reserved on every profile.
Dive-site video pending
Dive-site video pending
Dive-site video pending

Regional location and nearby land

Location map

Deep Gulf of Mexico research-wreck region with the Louisiana coast visible. This is not a recreational dive or a navigation position.
Map areaLouisiana and the Mississippi Delta
Open regional map ↗
Map zoom level 6 of 11

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Recent field observations

Diver-reported temperatures

Automatically checked observations from dives during the past 14 days. Three reports are visible at a time; scroll for more.
Automatically checked
No recent diver reports from the past 14 days

A report that passes the automatic checks will appear here with the dive date, diver’s display name, and temperatures at each depth.

Reports are automatically checked for plausible dates, depths, and temperatures. They are observations, not forecasts; confirm conditions before diving.

Diver field observation

Report temperatures

Reports publish automatically when the date, depths, and temperatures pass the checks. You must be signed in to submit.

Depth readings

Why divers know this place

Highlights

Only German U-boat sunk in the Gulf of Mexico during World War II; investigated by NOAA with remotely operated vehicles.

Shipwreck-only module

The wreck

This section appears only on shipwreck records and brings the vessel, its loss, present condition, access, and responsible wreck-diving considerations into one place.

Vessel type
German Type IXC submarine
Protection or memorial status
Historic archaeological and memorial site; authorized research access only

Before you arrive

Access notes

The exact position is intentionally withheld. Plan only through an authorized research program and comply with federal archaeological, environmental and memorial protections.

Plan within your training

Conditions and hazards

Crushing depth, remote offshore operations, currents, entanglement and fragile archaeological material. Human scuba access is impossible; do not disturb the wreck.

At the site

Facilities and support

No onsite facilities; research-vessel, ROV or submersible support is mandatory.

Independent resource notice

This record is a starting point for independent verification. Access, closures, moorings, weather, currents, depth, visibility, operator availability, and site conditions can change without notice. Confirm current information with the responsible operator, property owner, managing authority, or another qualified local source before planning or attempting a dive.