Karwela - MV

The MV Karwela is a premier wreck dive off Malta's Gozo island, identical to the Gozo-region entry for this same vessel. This 50-metre former passenger ferry sits upright on the seabed near Xatt l-Ahmar, where it was deliberately sunk in 2006 as an artificial reef. The wreck provides Malta's signature combination of crystal-clear visibility and accessible wreck penetration. The vessel's preparation before sinking was thorough, with multiple entry points created throughout the hull and superstructure to facilitate safe diver access. The resulting wreck site allows exploration at multiple levels, from the upper deck areas accessible to less experienced wreck divers to the deeper engine room that challenges the most seasoned penetration divers. The wreck's superstructure provides the dive's visual highlights. The bridge retains navigational instruments, creating evocative scenes of maritime abandonment. The passenger areas feature open doorways and corridors that allow easy navigation, while the exterior decks provide open-water staging areas between penetrations. Marine colonisation continues to transform the Karwela from industrial artifact to living reef. Sponges and tunicates coat the hull, while fish populations grow steadily. Groupers have established territories within the wreck, and schools of damselfish and bream swirl around the superstructure. The wreck's position near the Cominoland allows both vessels to be visited on a single dive for the ambitious. The advanced rating reflects the depth and overhead environments. Malta's visibility, frequently exceeding 30 metres, means the entire wreck is visible during approach, creating spectacular first impressions and safe navigation conditions. Water temperatures range from 15 to 26 degrees. The MV Karwela is consistently rated among the Mediterranean's best wreck dives.