Watch: Tanker Wrecked In Qawra Becomes Gozo’s Latest Diving Attraction
The oil tanker that had struck rocks at Qawra during a storm four years ago has been scuttled today as a new dive site in Gozo.
The 60m ‘Hephaestus’ vessel experienced difficulty during a storm in February 2018, where it ended up running aground in Fra Ben, Qawra.
Following the wreck, the government had decided to scuttle the vessel, as it would have been too costly to repair.
‘Hephaestus’ has now been scuttled in Xatt l-Aħmar off Gozo, alongside the other wrecks of the Karwela, Comino land and the Xlendi.
The planned depth is 38 to 42 meters, but the exact depth will be confirmed once the wreck is in place and divers are able to dive down and confirm.
This came after years of anticipation, as the scuttling of the wreck had been in the works since 2020, but was delayed due to planning permits and underwater survey requirements.
While it was still stuck in Qawra on the rocks, the ship was already attracting tourists to it, with many seen capturing photographs of the vessel.
After the ship was towed, it was taken to the Cassar Ship Repair yard in Marsa, but the owner deemed the repairs too expensive and thus sealed the fate of the vessel.
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