Karwela

The MV Karwela is one of Gozo's most iconic wreck dives, a former passenger ferry deliberately scuttled in 2006 in the waters off Xatt l-Ahmar to create an artificial reef and world-class diving attraction. Resting upright on a sandy seabed at a maximum depth of thirty-eight meters with her superstructure rising to around twenty meters, the Karwela offers advanced divers a substantial and atmospheric wreck exploration in the crystal-clear waters that make Gozo's wrecks among the most photogenic in the Mediterranean. The descent to the Karwela is a dive highlight in itself. Gozo's legendary visibility — often exceeding thirty-five meters — means the entire wreck materializes from the blue during the descent, her hull and superstructure appearing in progressive detail like a ghost ship emerging from the deep. The first view of the Karwela sitting upright and intact on the seabed, her lines still recognizable as a working ferry despite the marine growth softening every surface, is genuinely breathtaking. At roughly sixty meters in length, she is large enough to reward extended exploration yet compact enough that a single dive can encompass both exterior circumnavigation and interior penetration. The exterior of the Karwela reveals the ongoing transformation from man-made vessel to living reef. Her hull is increasingly colonized by sponges, algae, and encrusting organisms that are slowly reclaiming the steel for the sea. Fish life congregates around the wreck in remarkable density — schools of damselfish and bream hover above the superstructure in shimmering clouds, while larger predatory fish including groupers and barracuda patrol the hull edges. The wreck's davits, railings, and deck equipment create perches and shelters that concentrate marine activity at specific points. For appropriately trained divers, the interior of the Karwela is accessible through prepared openings that allow safe penetration of the main deck areas. The engine room, passenger salons, and bridge can be explored, each compartment offering a different atmosphere and a window into the vessel's former life. Ambient light entering through hatches and portholes illuminates much of the interior, creating a play of light and shadow that is deeply atmospheric. The corridors and stairwells connect the spaces in logical routes that allow complete interior exploration with manageable complexity. The Karwela rests near two other deliberately scuttled wrecks — the MV Xlendi and the MV Cominoland — creating a wreck field that can be explored across multiple dives. However, the Karwela herself provides more than enough interest for a dedicated dive, and many advanced divers return to her repeatedly, discovering new details and documenting the wreck's ongoing transformation into a thriving artificial reef. For wreck diving enthusiasts, the MV Karwela is an essential Gozo experience — a thoughtfully prepared dive site that honors the vessel's history while creating a new chapter as one of the Mediterranean's finest underwater attractions.