UPDATE: August 29th 2022
This wreck will be scuttled today August 29th between 12:00 and 14:00.
It's resting position will be Xatt l- Ahmar off Gozo, along side the other wrecks of the Karwela, Comino land and the Xlendi.
The planned depth is 38- 42 meters, but we will post an exact depth once the wreck is in place and divers are able to dive down and confirm.
The scuttling of this wreck has been in the works since 2020, and delayed due to planning permits and underwater survey requirements.
The ship came aground off Qawra point in February 2018, and was earmarked for scuttling by the Malta government.
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A 60m tanker which ran aground in Qawra last year is to be scuttled off the coast of Qala in Gozo.
The Hephaestus a 885 tonne vessel was stranded on the rocks after storm which hit Malta during the feast of St Paul's Shipwreck.
The Professional Diving Schools Association of Malta, Gozo and Comino (PDSA) have begun the planning application process for the operation, the ship is presently being cleaned and prepared for scuttling. The Hephaestus will become another diving attraction for visiting and local divers. This wreck will come to rest on a sandy area at a depth of 30-40 meters, making this an ideal wreck for Advanced level divers. Artificial reefs attract sealife, providing a safe heaven for sea life and acting as a nursery for smaller fish.
The aim is for this to be scuttled at the start of the 2020 diving season.
