Divers Tackle Deteriorating Andrea Doria, Called ‘Mount Everest of Shipwrecks’

About 240 feet under the Atlantic off the coast of Nantucket, the Italian liner Andrea Doria is disintegrating, prompting divers to label it the “Mount Everest of shipwrecks.” Retired U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Aaron Davenport explains that the hull’s collapse and drifting debris create serious entanglement risks, while the wreck’s sideways orientation can easily disorient explorers. Veteran diver John Moyer, who has logged over a hundred dives, says the structure is in its final flattening stage.

Divers Alert Network has documented rapid deterioration, citing research from OceanGate, and notes that at least 18 divers have died since the wreck’s discovery, including British diver Steven Slater in 2017. Despite the dangers, experienced recreational divers still attempt the dive, hoping to see the wreck before it disappears completely.