XR Extended Range Min 45m to 80m MTA DIVE/0022 WWII Wrecks Malta

Advanced and tec wreck diving
in Malta

Eleven WWII wrecks between 45 and 80 metres. Aircraft, warships, and a torpedo boat. Most have never been formally excavated. Most have very few visitors. XR Extended Range Foundations minimum for all sites on this page.

45-80m Depth Range
11 Tec Wrecks
XR Guided Dives
WWII Aircraft + Ships
1992 Est.
Full XR Pathway
Featured Sites

Eleven wrecks in detail.

All eleven WWII wrecks in Malta's 45-80m tec range. Aircraft, warships, and a torpedo boat. XR Extended Range Foundations minimum for all sites; Trimix required at 65m and deeper.

U-class Sub · 45-56m · XR Entry

HMS Stubborn

U-class submarine at 45-56m, northeast of Qawra Point. One of Malta's most structurally intact WWII submarine wrecks. XR Extended Range Foundations minimum.

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WWII Bomber · 55-60m · XR cert

B-24 Liberator

WWII American heavy bomber at 55-60m. One of the most significant aviation wrecks in Maltese waters. Four-engine aircraft, intact enough to identify all major sections on descent.

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WWII Torpedo Boat · 63-66m · XR cert

Schnellboot S-31

WWII German torpedo boat (E-boat) at 63-66m. A rare wreck type in the Mediterranean, relatively intact. Limited visitor numbers. One of Malta's genuinely off-circuit tec dives.

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WWII Corvette · 65-68m · XR cert

HMS Nasturtium

WWII British corvette at 65-68m. Purpose-built escort vessel, sunk during the Malta convoys. One of the deeper WWII ship wrecks accessible with XR Hypoxic Trimix 80 training dives.

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WWII Destroyer · 65-73m · XR cert

HMS Southwold

WWII British destroyer at 65-73m. Hunt-class destroyer lost during the Second Battle of Sirte in 1942. One of Malta's most historically significant tec wrecks.

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WWII Recon Aircraft · 67-70m · XR cert

Martin Maryland

WWII American reconnaissance aircraft at 67-70m. Remarkably intact at depth, both wings present. Used by the RAF during the Battle of Malta, flying photographic missions over enemy ports.

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WWII Fighter · 70m · XR cert

Hawker Hurricane

WWII British fighter at 70m. One of the Battle of Malta's iconic aircraft types. Remarkably preserved at depth. Very few diving operations have the capability to reach it.

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WWII Spitfire · 70m · XR cert

Spitfire Mk Vc

WWII Spitfire at 70m. Arguably the most historically evocative wreck in Malta's tec range. The Mk Vc was the variant sent to defend Malta during the siege of 1942.

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Passenger/Cargo Vessel · 50-65m · XR cert

SS Polynesien

Passenger and cargo vessel at 50-65m. One of Malta's largest wrecks by volume in the tec depth range. Structure largely intact across a wide footprint. XR Extended Range Foundations minimum.

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WWII Bomber · 55m · XR cert

JU-88 North

WWII German Junkers JU-88 bomber at 55m. One of two JU-88 wrecks in Maltese waters, each with a distinct position and profile. Accessible on XR Extended Range Foundations.

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WWII Torpedo Bomber · 70m · XR cert

Fairey Swordfish

WWII British torpedo bomber biplane at 70m. One of the most unusual aircraft wrecks in the Mediterranean. The Swordfish's biplane configuration makes it immediately identifiable on descent. XR Hypoxic Trimix 80 required.

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The right team for tec depth.

1992 Founded in Malta
11 Tec sites
45-80m Depth range
Full XR Pathway offered
  • We dive these sites ourselves

    Our tec instructors and guides dive the 60-80m Malta wrecks on technical equipment. Every briefing is from people who have been to that specific wreck, not from a chart or a video.

  • Full XR pathway, one centre

    diveshack runs every level of the SSI XR programme from Extended Range Foundations to Hypoxic Trimix 100. You can train and dive these sites with the same team.

  • Eleven WWII wrecks in one depth range

    No other dive destination in the Mediterranean has this concentration of intact, accessible tec wrecks at 45-80m. WWII aircraft, warships, and a German torpedo boat within an hour's boat travel of Sliema.

Tec diving in Malta: what you need to know.

What certification do I need for tec wreck diving in Malta?

A minimum of XR Extended Range Foundations (or equivalent from another XR agency) is required for the sites on this page. Sites at 65m and deeper require XR Hypoxic Trimix 80. The Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, Fairey Swordfish, and Martin Maryland at 70m are all accessible on XR Hypoxic Trimix 80. Contact diveshack with your current certifications and we'll advise on which sites are within your range.

How do I get to the advanced tec wrecks in Malta?

All sites on this page are boat dives. diveshack coordinates boat access from Sliema. Journey times range from 20 to 45 minutes depending on site. Boat briefings cover current conditions, descent and ascent procedures, and site-specific hazards. Equipment checks are conducted before entry.

Is technical diving safe in Malta?

Malta's conditions are well-suited to technical diving training and guided tec dives. Visibility of 20-30m means line-of-sight navigation is standard. The Mediterranean's relatively benign current patterns (outside specific exposed sites) reduce risk compared to Atlantic or Pacific technical environments. All tec dives at diveshack are conducted with full gas planning, reel and line protocols, and backup equipment standards.

What WWII wrecks can I dive in Malta's tec range?

In the 45-80m range, Malta has: HMS Stubborn (U-class submarine), B-24 Liberator (American heavy bomber), Schnellboot S-31 (German torpedo boat), HMS Nasturtium (corvette), HMS Southwold (destroyer), Martin Maryland (reconnaissance aircraft), Fairey Swordfish (torpedo bomber biplane), and Hawker Hurricane and Spitfire Mk Vc (fighter aircraft). This is one of the most diverse concentrations of WWII wrecks at tec depth anywhere in the world.

Can I hire technical diving equipment at diveshack?

diveshack can supply doubles (twin cylinder) configurations for XR Extended Range level and above. Contact us before your trip to confirm equipment availability and sizing. If you have your own tec equipment, bring it and we'll check compatibility and conduct a full kit check before diving.

How many tec divers are in a guided group at diveshack?

Tec guided groups at diveshack run a maximum of four divers per guide. At 65m+ sites, groups are often smaller (two to three divers) to allow for individual supervision and gas management. Contact us to discuss your experience level and preferred group size.

Which wrecks are within your range?

Send us your current XR certification and logbook details on WhatsApp. We'll tell you exactly which sites you can dive now and what training unlocks the rest.

20 Qui Si Sana Seafront, Sliema · +356 9999 3483 · info@divemalta.com · Mon-Sat 08:00-17:00

Tec guided dives include

  • Full XR pathway available
  • Sites from 45m to 80m
  • Maximum 4 divers per tec guide
  • Equipment supplied or own equipment welcome
  • Gas planning and site briefings
  • Combined training and guided dive trips

diveshack Malta has been operating since 1992. SSI Diamond Instructor Training Centre. MTA licensed dive centre DIVE/0022.