Two sunken aircraft near Renaissance Island
Please note: this dive site is still often called Sonesta Airplanes. The Sonesta hotel became the Renaissance in 2002, and the site took the new name.
Just off Renaissance Island near Oranjestad lie two sunken aircraft. The best known is a YS-11, a former Air Aruba plane that was sunk in 2007 and rests upright on the sandy bottom.
The cockpit lies at around 16 metres and the tail at about 27 metres, so the site suits beginning and intermediate divers. Coral has grown over the fuselages and they attract plenty of reef fish.
Highlights
- Upright YS-11 aircraft sunk in 2007
- Second aircraft wreck nearby
- Coral growth and reef fish
- A harbour tugboat wreck in the same area
Good to know
- Location: off Renaissance Island, Oranjestad
- Access: boat dive
- Depth: about 16–27 m (52–90 ft)
- Level: beginner to intermediate
Prices, schedules and conditions change regularly, so check with the operator or venue before you go.
See also: more dive sites in Aruba.
Last updated: September 2026.
