Jettisoned drop tanks usually disappeared into the sea

What happened to aircraft drop tanks after they were jettisoned?

Some were carried back, washed up, or repurposed, but most sank or disappeared after release.

Drop tanks were disposable but not always immediately lost. Some returned with the aircraft, while others floated, washed ashore, or were reused in unexpected ways. Most jettisoned tanks sank or vanished and were treated as expendable equipment.