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Overview
Libyan oil tanker scuttled off Malta in 1998 as an artificial reef. Lies on her keel at 36 m with the wheelhouse at 18 m. The wreck split in half during a 2006 storm, opening a swim-through that splits the bow from the stern.
What you'll see
3 species curated- year-roundBarracuda
- seasonalAmberjack
- year-roundMediterranean moray
Sightings evidence
1 record on file- high confidenceBarracuda
- Last confirmed
- Oct 2025
- Recent records
- 65 within 50 km
Sources & methodology
How we summarise this
We aggregate confirmed occurrence records from GBIF and OBIS within a fixed radius of each dive site. Occurrence records confirm presence and reveal seasonality clustering, but they DO NOT measure per-dive probability — there is no eligible-effort denominator. We deliberately do not publish a numeric '% chance of sighting' from this data.
Sources
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility — GBIF Secretariat
- Ocean Biodiversity Information System — IOC-UNESCO
- OBIS-SEAMAP — Duke University Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab / OBIS
- iNaturalist — California Academy of Sciences & National Geographic Society
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — International Union for Conservation of Nature
- WoRMS — World Register of Marine Species — Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)
- FishBase — FishBase Consortium
- Atlas of Living Australia — CSIRO / GBIF Australia
- REEF Volunteer Fish Survey — Reef Environmental Education Foundation
The wreck
Ship history- No formal protection
Tanker · Libya
Um El Faroud
- Built
- 1969
- Sunk
- Sep 2, 1998
- Length
- 110 m
- Tonnage
- 10,500
- Diveable depth
- 18–36 m
- How she sank
- Scuttled as artificial reef
Libyan oil tanker scuttled off Wied iż-Żurrieq as an artificial reef after a gas-explosion accident killed nine workers in Valletta dry dock. Broke in two during a 2005 storm.
Notable features
- broken-in-two hull
- two sections at 36 m
- bridge swim-through
- tuna and barracuda schools
Vessel histories sourced from the Naval History and Heritage Command (DANFS), NOAA ENC Direct, and editorial research. Bathymetry per GEBCO. See the methodology for limits.
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14–16 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Feb | 14–15 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Mar | 14–16 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Apr | 15–17 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| May | 17–19 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Jun | 20–22 °C | 25–35 m | mild |
| Jul | 23–25 °C | 25–35 m | mild |
| Aug | 25–27 °C | 25–35 m | mild |
| Sep | 24–26 °C | 25–35 m | mild |
| Oct | 22–24 °C | 25–35 m | mild |
| Nov | 19–21 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Dec | 16–18 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
Gear for this site
Beyond the basic kit- Dive light — Penetration through holds and engine room.
- 5mm wetsuit — Cold water majority of year; deep wreck colder still.
Next step
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