Dive guide
Wreck diving in Malta and Gozo
Malta's waters hold wrecks from both World Wars, including warships, aircraft and lighters, plus ships scuttled on purpose as artificial reefs, like the Um El Faroud, the P29 and the Gozo ferries at Xatt l-Aħmar.
Many are shore dives. Check the depth and certification for each before you plan your dive.
Every wreck we cover
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1 Blenheim Bomber
Dive the Bristol Blenheim bomber off Xrobb l-Għaġin, Marsaxlokk: an RAF aircraft that ditched in 1941, lying upright at 42 metres.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
2 Bristol Beaufighter
Dive the Bristol Beaufighter off St Julian's: an RAF aircraft that ditched in 1943, lying inverted on sand at about 38 metres. Boat dive.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
3 HMS Maori
HMS Maori, Valletta: a shallow shore dive on the bow of a WWII destroyer sunk in 1942, lying at 14–16 metres in St Elmo Bay.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
4 Imperial Eagle
Imperial Eagle, Qawra: a former Malta–Gozo ferry scuttled in 1999, lying at 42 metres beside the underwater statue of Christ. Boat dive.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
5 MV Cominoland
MV Cominoland, Xatt l-Aħmar, Gozo: a former minelayer and Comino ferry scuttled in 2006, upright on sand at 32 to 40 metres.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
6 MV Karwela
MV Karwela, Xatt l-Aħmar, Gozo: a 1957 passenger ferry scuttled in 2006, upright at 30 to 40 metres and reached from the shore.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
7 MV Odile
MV Odile (SS Margit), Kalkara: a Second World War wreck sunk in a 1941 air raid, a 22-metre harbour shore dive with low visibility.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
8 MV Xlendi
MV Xlendi, Xatt l-Aħmar, Gozo: a former Gozo ferry scuttled in 1999 that landed upside down at 32 to 42 metres. Do not go inside.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
9 P29 Patrol Boat
P29 patrol boat, Ċirkewwa: a former minesweeper scuttled in 2007, upright on sand at 12 to 35 metres and dived from the shore.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
10 P31
P31, Comino: a former patrol boat scuttled in 2009, upright on sand at 7 to 20 metres. An easy boat dive that suits newer divers.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
11 Rozi Tug Boat
The Rozi tug wreck at Ċirkewwa: an intact harbour tug scuttled in 1992, lying upright at 30 to 36 metres and reached from the shore.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
12 The Two Tugs
The Two Tugs at Marsaskala: St Michael and Tug 10, two harbour tugs scuttled in 1998, lying upright at about 20 metres off Żonqor Point.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
13 Tug 2
Tug 2 off Exiles, Sliema: a Grand Harbour tugboat scuttled in 2013, lying at about 22 metres and reached from the shore. Wheelhouse swim-throughs.
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14 Um El Faroud
Um El Faroud, Wied iz-Żurrieq: a 110m tanker scuttled in 1998 after a fatal dockyard explosion, lying upright between 15 and 36 metres.
Depth, entry and nearby sites -
15 X127 Lighter
The X127 lighter off Manoel Island: a 1915 lighter sunk in 1942, lying on a slope from 5 to 22 metres in Marsamxett Harbour, reached from the shore.
Depth, entry and nearby sites
Frequently asked questions
What is the best wreck dive in Malta?
The Um El Faroud, a 110-metre tanker scuttled off Wied iż-Żurrieq in 1998, is the best known. Gozo's MV Karwela and MV Cominoland, and the P29 patrol boat at Ċirkewwa, are close behind.
Are there shallow wrecks in Malta?
Yes: the HMS Maori in Valletta and the X127 lighter off Manoel Island are both under about 22 metres and suit Open Water divers.