Malta & Gozo · Malta · Wreck
MV Xlendi
An 80 m ferry lying keel-up on a sandy slope
Area photo: Michaela Yos Niki Loxa · CC BY 4.0
A former Gozo Channel ferry, built as a train ferry, that ended up upside down when it was scuttled at Xatt l-Aħmar in 1999 and now lies keel-up on a sandy slope. It is a deep wreck for experienced divers, seen from outside only because the hull is unstable.
Also known as Xlendi, Xlendi wreck, MV Xlendi wreck.
Where it is and how deep
36.0163° N, 14.2849° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The keel is the shallowest point at 30 m, and the hull slopes down to 40 m on the deeper side of the sandy slope, reaching 44 m at its lowest. The dive runs along the upturned hull from the outside, since the wreck is unstable and closed to penetration.
The wreck
- Vessel
- MV Xlendi
- Type
- Train ferry
- Length
- 80 m (262 ft)
- Built
- 1955
- Sunk
- 1999
- Cause
- Scuttled in November 1999 to form an artificial reef
- Lies
- Upside down on a sandy slope, keel at 30 m
MV Xlendi was built in 1955 as a train ferry and was 80 m long with a beam of 12 m. The vessel was bought by Gozo Channel in February 1990 for the crossing between the islands. In November 1999 she was scuttled at Xatt l-Aħmar to form an artificial reef and a draw for divers, coming to rest upside down on the sandy slope.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair |
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.
Know before you go
- The upturned hull is unstable, so the wreck cannot be penetrated.
Dive videos
Malta Dive Sites - MV Xlendi, Xatt l-Ahmar, Gozo · Mika Tanninen on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can divers go inside the Xlendi wreck?+
No. The ferry lies upside down with its keel at 30 m and is unstable, so it is dived from outside only, down to 40 m.
Sources
- en.wikivoyage.org Diving_in_Malta — Wikivoyage
- www.scubago.com mv-xlendi-wreck-293522 — ScubaGo
- maltadives.com en — MaltaDives.com
- www.calypsosac.org mv-xlendi — Calypso Sub-Aqua Club
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