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Overview
Former East German Kondor-class minesweeper that the Maltese Armed Forces ran as a coastal patrol boat for seven years before scuttling her off Cirkewwa on 14 August 2007 as an artificial reef. The 52 m hull sits upright on a sand flat, bow pointing seaward, with the keel at 34 m, deck around 22 m, and the bridge mast topping out at 12 m below the surface. The bow machine gun was left in place and is the standard photograph divers come back with. Doors and bulkheads were cut for safe penetration of the wheelhouse, engine room and aft cabins, and the steel is now furred with sponges and tubeworms. Open water can be enough if the dive stays on the upper hull, but reaching the bow gun and going inside calls for advanced or wreck training. Schools of damselfish and bream work the rails, large dusky grouper sit under the stern overhang, and squid, flying gurnards and stingrays cross the sand around the keel.
Briefing note
Maximum keel depth of 34 m places the full hull tour outside open water limits; plan as an advanced or deep dive and stay above the deck at 22 m if untrained. Penetration is possible through cut hatches in the wheelhouse and engine room but requires wreck training, a torch, and ideally a guide. The bow machine gun is a replica left in place after scuttling. Sea state at the shore entry can be rough in north-westerly winds; check the marine forecast and use the eastern ladders if swells are running.
What you'll see
6 species curated- year-roundDusky grouperPeak: May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
- seasonalEuropean barracudaPeak: Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
- year-roundCommon octopusPeak: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
- year-roundFlying gurnardPeak: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
- year-roundEuropean congerPeak: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
- seasonalCommon stingrayPeak: May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14–15 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Feb | 14–15 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Mar | 14–16 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Apr | 16–18 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| May | 18–20 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Jun | 21–23 °C | 20–35 m | mild |
| Jul | 24–26 °C | 25–40 m | mild |
| Aug | 26–28 °C | 25–40 m | mild |
| Sep | 25–27 °C | 25–40 m | mild |
| Oct | 22–24 °C | 20–35 m | mild |
| Nov | 19–21 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Dec | 16–17 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
Gear for this site
Beyond the basic kit- Dive torch — Needed for the wheelhouse and engine room interior, which are dark even on a sunny day.
- SMB and reel — Boat traffic from the Cirkewwa ferry terminal runs close to the wreck; deploy a buoy on ascent.
- Nitrox 32 — Bottom time at 30 m fills quickly on air; nitrox stretches the dive and adds a safety margin on the keel.
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