Reefwander
Scuba diver hovering over the encrusted funnel of a sunken wreck in deep blue water off Malta

Malta & Gozo · Malta · Wreck

MV Imperial Eagle

An upright former island ferry off Qawra Point

Area photo: Michaela Yos Niki Loxa · CC BY 4.0

A former Malta–Gozo ferry, launched in 1945 and scuttled off Qawra Point in 1999 as a dive attraction. The 45 m hull sits upright on the seabed half a kilometre offshore and is a deep boat dive for experienced divers.

Also known as Imperial Eagle.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of MV Imperial Eagle: typical dive to 40 m (to 130 ft), deepest point 42 m (138 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit40 m42 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 50 m (164 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

35.9635° N, 14.4338° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The 45 m ferry stands upright on the seabed at around 40 m, with the deepest point at 42 m, about half a kilometre north east of Qawra Point. The whole dive is spent at depth on and around the upright hull.

The wreck

Vessel
MV Imperial Eagle
Type
Malta–Gozo ferry
Length
45 m (148 ft)
Built
1945
Sunk
1999
Cause
Scuttled in 1999 as a diver attraction
Lies
Upright on the seabed at 40 m, 500 m off Qawra Point

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for MV Imperial Eagle
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodFair

Season follows Malta & Gozo: Jun–Sep is the main season, with the sea averaging 21–26 °C; it never drops below 14 °C, so diving carries on through the winter.

Dive videos

Diving the Imperial Eagle - Malta · MaltaUnderwater on YouTube

Sources

  1. en.wikivoyage.org Diving_in_Malta — Wikivoyage
  2. www.scubago.com mv-imperial-eagle-wreck-93901 — ScubaGo
  3. maltadives.com en — MaltaDives.com

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