A detailed 3D scan has unveiled new insights into a WWII Nazi submarine lost in the Baltic Sea, shedding light on the wreckage of the German U-670, a Type VIIC U-boat that sank during a training exercise in 1943.
The underwater imaging reveals previously unseen structural damage and preserved features of the sunken vessel.
The U-670, part of Nazi Germany’s Kriegsmarine fleet, was discovered at a depth of 80 meters (262 feet) near Hel, a narrow sandbar off the northern coast of Poland.
The submarine had gone down after a collision with the target ship Bolkoburg, resulting in the deaths of 21 crew members. It was not until 2013 that divers from Baltictech located the wreck, confirming its identity two years later.
Photogrammetry reveals key structural details
In a recent underwater study led by researcher Bartłomiej Pitala, nearly 10,000 photographs were used to create a 3D photogrammetric model of the site.
The scan exposed several key details: the forward torpedo loading hatch remains open, the stern’s end is missing, likely damaged in the collision, and the conning tower is entangled in fishing nets. Pitala reported that capturing the images required 50 minutes of work on the seabed, with the full dive lasting over three hours.
3D model after archaeological survey of German U-boat U-670 laying 85 meters in the Baltic Sea
The wreck is in perfect condition, with open forward torpedo loading hatch, and a small part of the stern broken in a collision with a training target ship.#underwaterarchaeology pic.twitter.com/QDtMWehxKy
— Nacho CrL (@Nacho_crl) September 10, 2025
3D photogrammetry, the technique used in the survey, creates accurate digital models from overlapping two-dimensional images.
Unlike laser scanning, this method reconstructs shape, scale, and surface texture by analyzing visual data from multiple angles. The result is a realistic and measurable 3D representation of complex underwater sites.
History and specifications of U-670
Originally constructed at the Howaldtswerke shipyard in Hamburg, the U-670 was launched in 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Guido Hyronimus. The submarine displaced 769 tonnes (848 short tons) and measured 67.10 meters (220 feet) in length.
Two Germaniawerft F46 diesel engines powered the sub, and it was capable of diving to depths of up to 230 meters (755 feet).
At the time of its operation, the U-boat could travel 8,500 nautical miles on the surface and 80 nautical miles while submerged. It was assigned to training missions before its untimely end in the Baltic.
The high-resolution 3D imaging offers a rare look at the structural integrity of a WWII Nazi submarine decades after it sank. For maritime historians and researchers, the findings provide both technical insight and a stark reminder of wartime losses preserved beneath the sea.
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