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

Malta & Gozo · Malta · Wreck

P31

A cleared patrol boat built for a first wreck penetration

Area photo: Michaela Yos Niki Loxa · CC BY 4.0

A 52 m patrol boat scuttled off Comino in 2009, the only wreck dive around the island. It lies between 11 and 20 m with its hazardous fittings removed, and it is a regular stop on full-day boat trips to Comino for divers starting out on wrecks.

Also known as P31 Wreck, Patrol Boat 31, Pasewalk, Patrol Boat P31.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of P31: typical dive 11–20 m (36–66 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit11 m20 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

36.0090° N, 14.3231° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The patrol boat rises from 20 m to its shallowest parts at 11 m, with most of the hull at 18 to 20 m. All dangerous parts have been removed, so the wreck is safe to penetrate, and divers new to wrecks can look inside as well as circling the hull.

The wreck

Vessel
Patrol Boat P31 (Pasewalk)
Type
Patrol boat
Length
52 m (171 ft)
Sunk
2009
Cause
Scuttled off Comino in 2009 as a dive site
Lies
On the seabed off Comino between 11 and 20 m

Marine life and season

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

Month-by-month season rating for P31
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.

Photos from P31

  • Wittylama · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dive videos

P31 Wreck Dive, Comino, Malta · DiveDiveDive! on YouTube

Questions divers ask

Is the P31 wreck safe to penetrate?+

Yes. All dangerous parts were removed before it was scuttled, and the hull lies between 11 and 20 m, which makes it a common first wreck.

Sources

  1. www.scubago.com p31-wreck-125692 — ScubaGo
  2. maltadives.com en — MaltaDives.com

Photo credits

More dive sites in Malta & Gozo

Cave & cavern

An air chamber at the back of a vast cave in the cliff

to 35 madvanced

An 80 m rock tunnel and a collapsed sea cave, both entered on foot

10–30 m · max 60 mintermediate

A ditched light bomber sitting upright on sand and small reefs

to 42 madvanced

Swim beneath the surviving span of a collapsed sea cavern

12–25 mintermediate

An old four-pronged grapple anchor lying deep on the reef

15–35 m · max 50 madvanced

Cave & cavern

A huge cavern in the Dwejra drop-off, walls lined with sponges

20–30 madvanced

A long, well-lit tunnel through the rock of a sheltered lagoon

to 16 mbeginner

Similar dives elsewhere

Wreck

Airbus A300

Kuşadası · Turkey

A full-size airliner with a 44 m wingspan on the gulf floor

to 22 mintermediate

Wreck

Airplane

Primošten & Rogoznica · Croatia

A shot-down jet fighter scattered over 50 by 50 m at 19 m

to 19 mbeginner

Wreck

Aurora Wreck

Dubrovnik & the Elafiti Islands · Croatia

A sailing ship's remains at only about 16 m off Koločep

to 16 mbeginner

Wreck

Byron I Shipwreck

Crete · Greece

A sugar carrier lost in 1985, lying in 12-16 m

12–16 mbeginner