Soviet sub wreck found near Åland islands

The vessel, a Soviet S-2 class submarine, was sunk by mines in 1940, killing all 50 crew members onboard at the time

“After searching through a section of water the wreck has now been found in the Åland Sea near the boundary between Sweden and Finland by a Swedish-Ålandic dive team,” the team said in a statement.

The search for the Soviet submarine wreck began more than a decade ago in April 1999.

According to the six-member dive team, there are conflicting accounts regarding the sinking of the submarine.

Documents from the Swedish military archives claim that the S-2 sub was sunk by Swedish mines in Swedish waters, while records in the Finnish military archives say the vessel sank in Finnish waters.

The Åland Islands, located midway between Sweden and Finland in the Baltic Sea, are technically Finnish territory, but have strong cultural and linguistic ties to Sweden.

Among the divers was Ingvald Eckerman, grandson of J.A. Eckerman, who stood watch at the Märket lighthouse on January 2nd, 1940 and witnessed the sinking of the S-2.

Authorities from Sweden and Åland have been informed about the discovery, as has the Russian embassy in Stockholm.

According to the dive team’s statement, Russia places great importance on finding the remains of the submarine and have long made inquiries with authorities in Sweden and Finland about the fate of the S-2.