Pembrokeshire is once again to feature on prime time television — but this time the star of the show is a plane that sank in the Milford Haven waterway some 70 years ago.

Television presenter Dan Snow joined members of the Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust Dive Group to explore the wartime Sunderland flying boat T9044, which sank off the town in a storm in 1940.

The visit was filmed and is due to be shown on BBC One’s The One Show in September.

As well as diving on the wartime flying boat, the 360 Production crew also visited the Flying Boat Centre, where Dan interviewed Wing Commander Derek Martin, patron of the Sunderland Trust, who flew T9044 just weeks before it sank.

“Dan was amazed at what is left of our Sunderland,” said Nick Hammond, whose rediscovery of the wreck more than ten years ago has led to the recovery of so many items from it.

“As so often when we dive on T9044, the conditions were difficult but Dan got a close view on part of the wreck and the cameraman had some good footage. We can’t wait to see The One Show programme.”

The high profile visit completes a busy period for the dive group, having recently taken the lead in recovering a Pegasus engine from the Sunderland, which is now beginning desalination and conservation by Flying Boat Centre volunteers.

The engine retrieval was possible with help from Kaymac Marine and Civil Engineering and the crew of the barge Jemma’s Island operated by local firm BDS.

A donation from Chevron’s (now Valero) Pembroke refinery supported the recovery, also helping towards a RHIB to be used by dive group members.