The U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) is overseeing the investigation of a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress bomber wreckage discovered in the German North Sea. The find occurred in summer 2025 during a routine unexploded ordnance survey by German electricity firm Amprion near the planned DolWin4 offshore converter platform, part of Germany’s energy transition infrastructure. The wreckage lies approximately 260 meters from the platform site, buried under 1.5 meters of sand, sediment, and silt.
Amprion halted work and, recognizing the aircraft as U.S. Air Force property, contacted the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, which notified the DPAA. Amprion contracted Rheinmetall Project Solutions to plan, coordinate, and execute the survey under DPAA supervision. Starting in November 2025, teams used electromagnetic meters to map the site, then cleared sediment section by section to expose the structure.
With DPAA expertise, investigators quickly located the bomb bay, accessed it through open hatches, and confirmed no unexploded bombs remained aboard. The surrounding area was cleared for safety. An Amprion spokesperson stated, “The work focused on three questions: whether the aircraft was still intact on site and, if so, whether there was any unexploded ordnance on board; whether the aircraft could be clearly identified, for example by its serial numbers; and whether there were any indications of human remains from the crew.”
Evaluation of findings for aircraft identification and possible human remains continues, coordinated with German authorities and the DPAA. Amprion resumed project work in December 2025 without delays, with grid connections planned for 2028.