Gran Canaria · Spain · Wreck
Pecio Arona
A burnt-out merchant ship lying on its side as a reef
Area photo: Gino maccanti from spain · CC BY 2.0
Pecio Arona is a merchant ship, 100 m long and 15 m broad, that caught fire and sank off the north-east coast of Gran Canaria in 1972. It now lies on its side on sand and works as a large artificial reef, with its highest point at 20 m. Wreck divers come for the size of the hull and the fish life that has settled on it.
Also known as Arona wreck, Pecio El Arona, Arona.
Where it is and how deep
28.0371° N, 15.3697° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The ship listed as it went down and settled with the side closest to the surface at 20 m, so the descent arrives on the upper flank of the hull. From there the dive works down the length of the wreck to 35 m, and the deepest parts of the wreck reach 40 m.
Corals and anemones cover the hull and the towers, and schools of barracuda, grunts and bream circle the wreck constantly. Skipjack tuna and sea bream are among the species divers look for, while scorpionfish and bigeyes hide in the darker corners of the structure.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Arona
- Type
- Merchant ship (refrigerated cargo)
- Length
- 100 m (328 ft)
- Sunk
- 1972
- Cause
- Burned and sank after a fire on board
- Lies
- On its side on sand at about 33–40 m, the shallowest part at 20 m
Marine life and season
- Barracuda
- Tuna
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Gran Canaria: Conditions stay stable almost all year on this coast, so no month stands out as a peak.
Dive videos
L A N D I V E . E S - Scuba Submarinismo pecio Arona HD · Jordi Lafuente Mira on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What level is needed to dive the Arona wreck?+
It is an advanced dive. The upper side of the hull sits at 20 m and the dive goes down to 35 m along the wreck, so deep experience matters.
Sources
- Pecio Arona (ScubaGo) — ScubaGo
- Inmersiones de buceo en Gran Canaria — Buceo Norte
- Diving the Pecio Arona wreck — Hello Canary Islands
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