Roatán · Honduras · Wreck · Reef · Wall · Artificial reef
El Aguila
Three swim-throughs, and sometimes 15 to 20 groupers inside
Area photo: William Eburn · CC BY 2.5
A 60 m cargo ship sunk off Roatán in 1997 by Anthony's Key Resort and broken into three sections by Hurricane Mitch a year later. She lies on her starboard side at about 33 m at the foot of a reef wall, tilted around 45 degrees, with swim-throughs at stern, midships and bow, and groupers holding inside the wreckage in numbers.
Also known as The Eagle, Aguila Wreck.
Where it is and how deep
16.3275° N, 86.5790° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The wreck rests at the base of a reef wall, lying on her starboard side at about 33 m and tilted some 45 degrees since Hurricane Mitch rolled her. The usual approach drops onto the deepest structure first and works up from there. The storm broke her into three pieces, so the dive is less a single hull than a run between stern, midships and bow, each of which has its own swim-through.
Inside, the groupers are the thing. They gather in the sheltered sections, sometimes 15 to 20 fish at once, with blue parrotfish and moray eels among the wreckage around them. The mast on the bow rises to roughly 18 m, which makes a natural end to the deep part of the dive, and the reef wall alongside carries the shallow time — there is seahorse habitat on the reef next to the wreck.
Currents here are usually mild, and that combination of a short boat ride, gentle water and a hull that reads clearly from the outside is why El Aguila gets used as a first deep wreck rather than a technical one. Plan it as a deep dive all the same: the wreck sits at 33 m and the structure worth seeing is at the bottom of the profile rather than the top, so bottom time goes quickly.
The wreck
- Vessel
- El Aguila
- Type
- Cargo ship
- Length
- 60 m (197 ft)
- Sunk
- 1997
- Cause
- Scuttled as an artificial reef by Anthony's Key Resort
- Lies
- On her starboard side at about 33 m at the base of a reef wall, broken into three sections and tilted about 45 degrees
El Aguila — 'The Eagle' to divers on the island — was a cargo ship of about 60 m, sunk deliberately in 1997 by Anthony's Key Resort to make an artificial reef. She lasted a year intact. Hurricane Mitch then hit Roatán, broke the wreck into three pieces and tilted it to a 45 degree angle. The exposed structure, open cargo areas and separated sections spread across the seabed all date from that storm.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Roatán: March to August is dry with the calmest seas; October to February is the rainy season, wettest in November and December.
Know before you go
- The wreck lies at about 33 m with the best of it low down, so the profile is deep from the start; watch gas and no-stop time from the moment you arrive.
- Hurricane damage left exposed structure, open cargo areas and separated sections; the swim-throughs are open but the edges are broken metal.
Dive videos
El Aguila Wreck Dive - Roatan, Honduras · FlipFlopsAbroad.com on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the El Aguila wreck?+
She rests on her starboard side at about 33 m, with the mast on the bow rising to roughly 18 m. PADI lists Advanced Open Water Diver and Deep Diver as the recommended training, and currents on the site are usually mild.
Why is El Aguila broken into pieces?+
She was sunk intact in 1997 as an artificial reef. A year later Hurricane Mitch hit Roatán, broke the wreck into three sections and tilted it to about 45 degrees, which is what opened up the interior and left cargo areas exposed.
Sources
- El Aguila dive site — PADI
- Diving in Honduras: Top Wreck Dive Sites — Dive The World
- Roatan Dive Sites — Dive The World
In The Logbook
- Ships sunk on purpose, and where to dive themWrecks · 14 min read
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