GTA 5 Submarine Pieces are a collectible hunt of 30 parts from the wrecked submarine of TV producer Frank Mathers, scattered around San Andreas. His widow Abigail wants every piece found, and gathering them all unlocks the side mission What Lies Beneath. The hunt is optional and does not count toward 100% completion.
Key facts
- Total: 30 submarine pieces around San Andreas
- Given by: Abigail Mathers, in her Strangers and Freaks strand
- Starts with: the Strangers and Freaks mission Death at Sea, available after Blitz Play and the purchase of the Sonar Collections Dock in Paleto Cove
- Who collects: any of the three protagonists; only Michael can hand them over to Abigail
- Finder: the radar shows a sonar ping when you are near a wreckage site
- Reward: none per piece; finishing unlocks What Lies Beneath, which pays $10
- Completion: not required for 100%
How the submarine pieces hunt works
Once a protagonist owns the Sonar Collections Dock, Michael can meet Abigail there. She explains that her husband drowned while testing a submarine near Paleto Bay, and she asks Michael to recover the pieces so she can prove Frank is dead and collect his life insurance.
The pieces become available when Death at Sea begins. You can search with Franklin, Trevor or Michael, since the GTA 5 Submarine Pieces are not tied to one character. Watch the radar for the sonar ping, which appears when you get close to a wreckage site. Exiting a Dinghy or a Minisub out at sea gives you scuba gear, so you can dive without preparation.
This guide cannot list all 30 positions one by one, so rely on the ping and keep the GTA 5 map open to plan your route.
What Lies Beneath: handing the pieces over
When all 30 are collected, return to the Sonar Collections Dock as Michael and talk to Abigail. She thanks him, gets nervous when he asks about possible sabotage, then pays him $10 and gives him an autographed photo of her ex-lover. Michael throws the photo into the sea after the cutscene.
You then choose to kill Abigail or let her go, and neither choice has any consequence. If you follow her without agitating her, she drives to the Los Santos airport and claims you are harassing her as a widow, which gives you a three-star wanted level.
Related guides
- GTA 5 guide: the full edition hub
- GTA 5 lexicon: characters, vehicles and places
- More side content in the GTA 5 missions category
- All Properties and Property Management Missions: covers the Sonar Collections Dock
- Nuclear Waste Locations
- Letter Scraps Location Guide
Video walkthrough
Prefer to watch? This video shows it in action.
FAQ
How many Submarine Pieces are there in GTA 5?
There are 30 pieces, all linked to Abigail Mathers’ Strangers and Freaks strand.
How do I find the Submarine Pieces?
Look for the sonar ping on the radar when you are close to a wreckage site. A Dinghy or Minisub gives you scuba gear when you leave it at sea.
Which character must return the pieces?
Any protagonist can collect them, but only Michael can return them to Abigail at the Sonar Collections Dock.
Is there a reward for collecting them?
There is no payment per piece. Collecting all 30 unlocks What Lies Beneath, which gives $10 and a signed photo. The hunt is not required for 100% completion.
