Um El Faroud

Um El Faroud

The best wreck dive in Malta, at least for recreational divers, is Um El Faroud. After being damaged in an accident in the dry docks, the Libyan oil tanker MV Um El Faroud was scuttled off the coast of Wied iz-Zurrieq in 1998 as an artificial reef and scuba diving attraction.

Um El Faroud is 110 meters long and has a beam of around 16 meters. At depths ranging from 15 m (the funnel) to 36 m, the wreck sits upright on a sandy bottom (propeller). Before scuttling, the tanker was prepped for diving by removing all doors and windows and drilling entry and exit holes for divers. For skilled wreck divers, Um El Faroud offers numerous penetration opportunities.