See it even if you're sick of traveling—the plane wreck on Iceland’s black sand beach

By MOOK Scenic Spots / Mofei
 
Ninety percent of the attractions in Iceland are gifts of nature, but the plane wreck is one of the few human-related sites. It gained fame in recent years after photographers from around the world visited and shared stunning photos, making it a popular spot in Iceland.

The wreck of a U.S. military DC-3 plane, known as the Wrecked Airplane, sits on the Sólheimasandur beach near Vik in southern Iceland. There's a little story behind it: one day in 1973, a U.S. Navy pilot flying the plane experienced sudden engine failure. Spotting a vast uninhabited sandy area on the map in southern Iceland, he decided to make an emergency landing there.

Ultimately, relying on strong nerves and years of flying experience, the pilot managed to land the plane safely on its belly on the black sand beach. No one was injured or killed in the incident. However, recovering the entire plane at the time would have been prohibitively expensive, so the U.S. military only salvaged the equipment inside, leaving the wreckage of the DC-3 behind on the beach.

To see the plane wreck, the main way is still to drive there yourself. Its GPS coordinates are “63 27.546, -19 21.887”. Starting from the capital Reykjavik, drive counterclockwise along Route 1. After passing the Rainbow Falls and crossing a river, you’ll see a parking lot on your right where many vehicles are parked.

Once you park, get ready to walk until you question your life choices. Originally, you could drive right up to the wreck, but as its fame grew, too much strain was put on the local ecosystem, damaging the surrounding natural environment. So the landowner has now banned vehicles from entering—but travelers are still welcome to walk and fully take in the beauty of this land and the plane wreck on foot.