Wrecks of Malta: Full guide
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Table Of Contents
How many wrecks are there in Malta?
Diving in Malta is probably one of the best diving experiences you could have. However, I am not saying that because of the wildlife (as it is quite minimal compared to other, more tropical countries) or the reefs (for the same reason). The reason I recommend Malta as a diving spot is because of its abundant Wrecks rich in history.
Imagine reading about a ship that actively participated in World War II and being able to explore the ship. Not a replica, but the exact same ship! That is one of the experiences of diving in Malta: being transported back in time and getting of glimpse of history through your mask.
The main reason Malta has so many wrecks is mainly because of its perfect position between Europe and Africa: often called the Heart of the Mediterranean, Malta is a key point for naval trade routes.
This positioning has made Malta a central point for many conflicts throughout history, notably World War I and II. The outcome of those conflicts -including naval combat- is destroyed boats, submarines, planes, and more, that sink in the ocean, creating historical dive sites for all to enjoy.
However, there are historical wrecks even older than the First World War in Malta, the oldest currently discovered dating back to the 7th century BC: the Phoenician wreck lying off Xlendi Bay at a depth of 110m.
A downside of wreck diving in Malta is that not all the wrecks are available to everyone: Shallowest wrecks are scarce and deeper wrecks often require special certifications or permits. Nevertheless, there is a good portion of them that are easily accessible by everyone and that are guided by the diving centers throughout Malta.
Guide for Diving the Wrecks
Regulations and guidelines
For everyone to enjoy wreck diving in Malta, there are a couple of regulations and guidelines to follow. First of all, the accessibility of each wreck depends on your certification level, each certification gives you a maximum depth, which should be respected (but more on that in the next section).
There are a couple of general guidelines that everyone should follow to respect the site, such as not removing anything and trying to not touch the wreck.
Some wrecks have additional restrictions, notably the historical wrecks, which can be found here.
Here are some directives that would concern divers diving historical wrecks:
- Do not penetrate the wreck
- Don't touch the wreck
- Do not touch any living being
- Secure all your hoses close to your body
- Be aware of your fins
- Exercise proper buoyancy control
- And more...
Historical sites also require a permit, which can be issued to certain diving centers. The list of the approved dive centers can be found here.
Tips for wreck-diving
Wreck dives should always be conducted with safety as a priority. Here are some tips and recommendations to stay safe and comfortable during your wreck dive:
- create a dive plan and follow it
As the adage goes, "Plan your dive and dive your plan". As it is harder to communicate underwater, everything should be prepared and accounted for before starting the dive. This is especially true for wreck dives, as penetration is synonymous with the overhead environment, and you should always plan (and brief!) what swim-throughs you want to do with your group.
- bring a light source
Even though most wrecks in Malta have plenty of artificial openings, providing enough light to penetrate without a torch, you may get surprised with the occasional room that is plunged into darkness, therefore a light source is always a must-have when doing wreck penetration. On top of that, if you are the guide, it is always a good idea to bring a flashlight to highlight interesting things in the decor to your clients.
- bring reels/lines
This one will only be used by advanced wreck divers but should be always used when penetrating an "unprepared wreck". An "unprepared wreck" would be a wreck that still has all the items, cables, and everything else it had on board when it sank, on top of not having any additional openings. You need special training to penetrate such a wreck and tie off the reels on top of knowing all the safety protocols involved.
- make the emergency procedures known to everyone
Procedures such as the "lost buddy procedure" or the "diver recall" should be explained and made clear to everyone before the dive starts. This will prevent things from escalating in case of complications.
- double-check on everyone before each penetration
It's not an optimal situation to have a diver out of air or panicked while you are in the wreck. In my case, I always double-check how much pressure is left in each customer's tank, how much no-deco time they have left, and of course if they are still comfortable doing the penetration before going inside. Better safe than sorry!
- Research the wreck before diving it
On top of making the dive more enjoyable because you know the history behind your dive site, you will make your life easier by being familiar with the entry/exit point(s), size, etc... of the wreck.
Recommended certifications
There are many different certifications with each diving agency that will make you a "wreck diver". From the most basic certifications that will teach you to locate and identify the type of wreck you're exploring to the most advanced that will teach you to lay lines and special protocols for each and every case possible.
It is always a good idea to go for a basic wreck certification to understand what you are dealing with. Full wreck penetration is fascinating in Malta so I can only recommend learning there, if you have the chance.
In terms of level (open water, advanced, etc...), you will be limited in your wreck exploration journey as a simple open water diver, as there are very few wrecks above 18m (there are still some possibilities, such as the Tug 2, HMS Maori, or the P31).
Therefore I would recommend to at least pursue a deep specialty, that allows you to go down to 40m, and get a fuller experience, and will unlock so many more wrecks to explore, such as the famous Karwela and its scenic stairs, the Huge Libyan tanker Um-El Faroud, or the old east german boat, P29.
If you are very invested in wreck diving, I can only recommend getting a decompression certification, that allows you more bottom time on the deeper wrecks.
Most historical wrecks will require some kind of technical extended range cert due to their depth, which will be accessible only to the most experienced divers.
Recommended time to dive
Malta's common "diving season" is between April and November. This is because the water gets warmer, the Island gets livelier, and it is generally an enjoyable time to dive. That being said, in July/August, it can get so warm that it becomes uncomfortable on the surface, especially if you are carrying multiple tanks, have a thicker suit, etc...
During the off-season (November to March, which more or less corresponds to the winter), the water and surface temperature may drop to a cool 15°C, which can get quite cold if you're still using wetsuits.
The trick is to find the in-between where the temperature is neither too warm nor too cold. Using this criteria, I would recommend coming during late September/October when it isn't scorching hot on the surface, while the water is still warm and enjoyable. The influx of tourists should also have calmed down around this time of the year so the dive sites might not be as busy (although the beginning of September can still be quite lively).
Another factor to take into account is the wind and rainfall, which has the potential to hinder planned dives. You are going to want to come between July and October to avoid the wind and between April and September to avoid the rain.
If you are still planning to come and dive during the winter season, beware of the potential winter storms, which would render the sea completely unsuitable for diving for days at a time.
How many wrecks are there in Malta?
It is tricky to get the exact number of wrecks in Malta (and anywhere else in the world for that matter), mainly for two reasons:
Firstly, what can be considered a wreck? If a 150m-long destroyer sinks, I think it is fair enough to call it a wreck, but what about a small zodiac? And what about a Jeep? (We have some of those in Malta, but I couldn't tell you how they got underwater in the first place). There are a lot of smaller "wrecks" which wouldn't be considered wrecks in the first place.
Secondly is finding the wrecks. There are a lot of wrecks close to the Valletta Harbour (or Grand Harbour) on the East Coast of Malta. But all of those wrecks are in relatively shallow water (shallow being a relative term, as some are 100m+ deep). When you go further out from the coast, into the Mediterranean Ocean, the depth increases, and the surface area to explore increases exponentially as well; naturally the discovery of wrecks becomes more tricky the further you go from the island.
Another factor to consider in Malta is the severe winter storms that can cause turmoil in the sea and damage the wrecks. After decades, some wrecks become unrecognizable.
Nevertheless, we can get a rough idea of how many wrecks there may be using different sources:
maltadives.com lists only 72 "wreck" dive sites.
However, when searching for ships, planes, and submarines lost during big conflicts such as the Siege of Malta (1940-1942), we get a better idea of how many potential wrecks there could be. The following is a list of vessel casualties, according to the Wikipedia article about the Siege of Malta:
- 357 German aircraft
- 175 Italian aircraft
- 50 German submarines
- 16 Italian submarines
- 2,304 Merchant ships (Central Power)
- 1 Allied battleship
- 2 Allied Aircraft Carriers
- 4 Allied Cruisers
- 19 Allied Destroyers
- 38 Allied Submarines
- 369 Airborne Allied fighters
Of course, not every one of those vessels was sunk close to Malta (in the case of the aircraft, some might have even been shot above land, preventing it from sinking in the ocean and making it a wreck), but as I said before, this gives us a rough idea of the potential Malta has for historical wrecks. On top of that, the Siege of Malta was not the only conflict that included Naval warfare throughout history.
Notable wrecks of Malta
Karwela
The MV Karwela is probably one of if not the most famous wreck in Malta. The partially wooden wreck lies at a maximum depth of 45m but a full penetration of it doesn't require to go deeper than 40m.
The reason for its fame is the picturesque stairs situated between 36-38m of depth. This wreck can be found in the south of Gozo, alongside 3 other wrecks: MV Cominoland, MV Xlendi, and MT Hephaestus.
Um El Faroud
The Faroud was a 115m-long Libyan tanker that can be found at a depth of 36m on the south coast of Malta along the small village of Wied iz-Zurrieq.
An explosion onboard killed 9 people in 1995, and the boat would be sunk 3 years later, in 1998. The Um El Faroud is popular mainly due to its impressive size, being not only longer than other popular wrecks in Malta but also taller and wider, making it necessary to dive it multiple times to explore it fully.
A storm during the winter of 2005-2006 fractured the wreck in two.
Le Polynésien
The Polynesien or SS Polynesien was a Risbec-class ocean liner, used as a passenger ship, cruising in the Mediterranean. It was sunk on 10 August 1918, when it was hit by a torpedo launched by the German submarine SM UC-22.
The Polynesien lies at a maximum depth of 65m and is one of the longest wrecks in Malta at an astonishing 152m of length! Due to its depth, it is only accessible to technical divers.
P29
P29 or "Boltenhagen" was a Kondor I-class Minesweeper originating from East Germany later sold to Malta.
It is one of the most popular wrecks to dive in Malta as it is conveniently situated in Cirkewwa; one of the only Marine reserve area of Malta.
Found at a maximum depth of 38m and with a length of 52m, this wreck can be slightly challenging while still accessible to most people that have a deep certification.
HMS P36
The HMS P36 is by far the hardest wreck to dive on this list. This is due to its maximum depth of 140m. It is listed as the deepest divable wreck in Malta on maltadives.com
HMS P36 was a British U-class submarine that participated in the naval conflict during World War II.
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