Um El Faroud
Shipwreck easily accessible, after a 5 minutes surface swim or a short shallow dive in the blue, with almost guaranteed awesomeness! Though, the Um El Faroud has a quite dramatic 'lifestory'... Originally from Libia, this 115m long tanker used to transport petrol from Lybia to Italy; while on dry-dock in 1995 in Valetta (Malta's capital city), a serious blast killed several workers and severed the structural integrity of the ship. It took 3 years to decide what to do with it! Eventually, it was prepared for divers and escorted out of the harbour to be sunk at a precise location. Et voila!
Today it is one of Malta's best artificial reef, since the access, via Zurrieq pontoon, is so easy! It sits at 30m, all straight and mighty; the deck is about 18m deep and the superstructure is roughly around 14m. Beware of the current, it can push you off towards the bow... and turn the swim back into a bit of an ordeal!
A few barracudas and tunas usually hang around the chimney, along with the damsels; if they're not there, check out the little cracks and holes for moray eels, conger eels and nudibranchs, or get into the wreck to find a unique atmosphere. Safety being paramount, the inside of the ship has been made all safe and clear, though you should always plan a wreck penetration!
Ideal site for wreck beginners and training. Underwater photographers will be pleased: the light is often good and actually helping you...
Um El Faroud
Shipwreck easily accessible, after a 5 minutes surface swim or a short shallow dive in the blue, with almost guaranteed awesomeness! Though, the Um El Faroud has a quite dramatic 'lifestory'... Originally from Libia, this 115m long tanker used to transport petrol from Lybia to Italy; while on dry-dock in 1995 in Valetta (Malta's capital city), a serious blast killed several workers and severed the structural integrity of the ship. It took 3 years to decide what to do with it! Eventually, it was prepared for divers and escorted out of the harbour to be sunk at a precise location. Et voila!
Today it is one of Malta's best artificial reef, since the access, via Zurrieq pontoon, is so easy! It sits at 30m, all straight and mighty; the deck is about 18m deep and the superstructure is roughly around 14m. Beware of the current, it can push you off towards the bow... and turn the swim back into a bit of an ordeal!
A few barracudas and tunas usually hang around the chimney, along with the damsels; if they're not there, check out the little cracks and holes for moray eels, conger eels and nudibranchs, or get into the wreck to find a unique atmosphere. Safety being paramount, the inside of the ship has been made all safe and clear, though you should always plan a wreck penetration!
Ideal site for wreck beginners and training. Underwater photographers will be pleased: the light is often good and actually helping you...
Shipwreck easily accessible, after a 5 minutes surface swim ...
