This year marked the second consecutive year with numerous wreck discoveries. Last year, 18 wrecks were found, and this year 15.

Peeter Väling, head of the hydrographic department, told morning show "Terevisioon" all wrecks discovered this year were previously unknown.

Some vessels sank due to severe maritime conditions. "Some are undoubtedly related to wars. Aircraft, in any case," Väling noted.

The exact type of aircraft cannot be determined from sonar images alone. Diving to the wreck would provide more precise information.

"[One of the found aircraft wrecks] is unfortunately in the Gulf of Riga, which has the very unpleasant characteristic of being predominantly opaque. Diving there is very difficult," Väling said.

Among the recent discoveries, Väling highlighted German warships from 1916 as the most fascinating.

Of an original fleet of 11 ships, seven sank: two were already known, three were discovered last year, and two more this year. He said the ships sank in the same area within 48 hours.

"This group of ships belonged to the German military's 10th Flotilla, which sailed north of Hiiumaa with the aim of harassing Russian transport ships but encountered a minefield," he said.

Most of the finds, however, are wooden sailing ships.

"Of this year's wreck discoveries, two were warships, one is likely a merchant ship found in the Gulf of Riga, and the rest are old wooden ships ranging from 20 to even 40 meters in length," he summarized.

The agency has been regularly mapping the Estonian seabed since 1993.

Estonia has 36,500 square kilometers of marine area, about 75 percent of which has been mapped using modern technology.

"The entire Estonian marine area must be fully mapped, including navigable inland waters such as the Emajõgi River, Narva River, Lake Peipus, and Lake Võrtsjärv," he told morning show "Terevisioon."

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