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Home/ Dive Sites/ Phoenician Wreck
SW Gozo, Malta · Heritage Malta · 105-110m

Phoenician Wreck
7th century BC · 2,700 years old

The oldest known diveable wreck in Maltese waters: a 7th century BC Phoenician vessel resting at 105-110m off the southwest coast of Gozo, outside Xlendi Bay. Discovered in 2007 during a remote sensing survey and managed by Heritage Malta's underwater cultural heritage unit. Cargo of grinding stones and ceramic amphorae remains in situ at depth. One of the most significant archaeological dive sites in the Mediterranean.

36°01'34"N  014°12'29"E  |  SW Gozo, outside Xlendi Bay
110m
Max Depth
105m
Avg Depth
7th C BC
Date Lost
20-30m
Visibility
CCR / XR
Cert Req.
17-27°C
Water Temp
Enquire About This Site Dive Conditions
110m
Max Depth
CCR/XR
Level
Permit
Access
20-30m
Avg. Visibility
Boat
Entry Type
May-Oct
Best Season
Depth Profile

Site History

  • 7th Century BC
    A Phoenician trading vessel sinks off the southwest coast of Gozo during the height of Phoenician maritime trade across the Mediterranean. The wreck settles at 105-110m, preserved for nearly three millennia in the cold, dark water off Xlendi Bay.
  • 2007
    The wreck is discovered from sonar data acquired during an offshore remote sensing survey. Heritage Malta's underwater cultural heritage unit (UCHU) begins research and documentation of the site.
  • Cargo
    Mixed cargo datable to the 7th century BC remains in situ at depth, including stone grinding objects and ceramic amphorae. The cargo profile confirms Phoenician origin and provides a rare window into pre-Roman Mediterranean trade routes through Malta.
  • Access Status
    The site is not available to the public for independent diving. Access requires Heritage Malta authorisation coordinated through a licensed Maltese dive operator. The wreck is among the least-dived sites in Maltese waters, with only a small number of authorised technical expeditions conducted to date.

The Phoenician Wreck holds a distinction shared by no other dive site in Malta: it predates the Roman conquest of the Mediterranean by several centuries. At 2,700 years old, it represents not just an extraordinary technical diving objective but a genuinely irreplaceable piece of human history resting on the seabed off Gozo. For technical divers, the combination of extreme depth, archaeological significance and the rarity of access makes this one of the most compelling dive opportunities in the Mediterranean. It can be considered alongside HMS Urge and HMS Olympus as part of Malta's deep heritage programme.

PHOENICIAN WRECK / SW GOZO (105-110m) TEC 0 28 50 105 110 AMPHORAE / GRINDING STONES IN SITU 105-110m PHOENICIAN VESSEL (7TH C BC) SW GOZO / XLENDI BAY
Points of Interest

What divers encounter at depth

Phoenician Wreck Gozo 105m ancient amphora cargo
105-110m

Amphora Cargo

Ceramic amphorae from the 7th century BC remain in situ on the seabed. Their form and clay composition are consistent with Phoenician commercial production of the period. At 105m in cold, dark water, preservation is remarkable. No artefacts may be handled or removed under Heritage Malta permit conditions.

Phoenician Wreck grinding stones 7th century BC Malta
105-110m

Stone Grinding Objects

Stone grinding objects form part of the mixed cargo. Their presence alongside amphorae suggests a vessel engaged in bulk commodity trade: grain or oil processing equipment typical of Phoenician commercial voyages across the western Mediterranean during the period of Phoenician colonial expansion.

Heritage Malta underwater cultural heritage Gozo
105-110m

Hull Remains

Structural remains of the hull are present at depth. Ancient wooden construction means organic material has long since degraded, but the scatter pattern and cargo distribution allow archaeologists and qualified technical divers to interpret the vessel's form and final moments. The site is under active research.

CCR technical diving Malta deep archaeological wreck
105-110m

Archaeological Context

The site's significance extends beyond the visible cargo. The Phoenician Wreck provides direct evidence of maritime trade through Malta in the pre-Roman period and represents a key data point in understanding Phoenician navigation routes between the Levant and the western Mediterranean colonies.

Dive Site Card

Collect the card.

Phoenician Wreck Gozo 105m dive site card
Dive Conditions

When to dive the Phoenician Wreck

MonthWater TempVisibilityConditions
Jan-Mar15-17°C15-25mWinter ops require settled weather window and full drysuit.
Apr-Jun17-22°C20-28mConditions improving. Good window for CCR expedition planning.
Jul-Sep24-27°C22-30mPeak season. Best surface conditions and visibility at depth.
Oct-Dec19-23°C18-25mGood through October. Weather becomes variable from November.
Summer visibility
Winter visibility

Currents

The SW Gozo site is exposed to open Mediterranean conditions. Sea state and current must be assessed before any 100m+ operation. Even moderate surface conditions create significant risk during the long decompression ascent at this depth.

Entry / Exit

Boat dive only. GPS coordinates are known and supplied to authorised operators. No permanent mooring. Dedicated surface support with tender vessel required. Divers carry personal GPS pinger and DSMB throughout the dive.

Equipment Notes

CCR strongly recommended at 105-110m. OC XR Trimix requires full stage and deco gas strategy. Drysuit mandatory. Redundant buoyancy. Primary and backup torches. Two DSMBs per diver. DAN membership current before diving.

Dive Briefing

Safety and planning

CCR or XR Trimix Only

105-110m is exclusively within the CCR and XR Trimix operational envelope. Minimum qualification: SSI XR Full Cave or XR Trimix equivalent with logged deep dives, or CCR certification with equivalent depth experience. No recreational or sport technical diving at this site.

Heritage Malta Permit Required

This is a protected archaeological site. Access requires written Heritage Malta authorisation coordinated through a licensed Maltese dive operator. Permit applications require certification evidence, logged deep dive experience, and a named operator as sponsor.

Decompression Planning

Full deco schedule required and calculated before entering the water. No improvised profiles. Gas reserves for extended decompression in a worst-case scenario must be confirmed on the surface before descent. At 110m, decompression obligations are substantial regardless of platform.

DSMB and Signalling

Blue water ascent from 105-110m off an exposed coast. Two DSMBs per diver. GPS pinger recommended. Surface vessel must maintain active monitoring throughout the full decompression ascent. Reel and spool per diver as standard.

Archaeological Non-Disturbance

This is an active Heritage Malta research site. Under no circumstances should any artefact be handled, moved, or removed. The cargo remains in situ as part of an ongoing archaeological record. Disturbance is a breach of permit conditions and Maltese heritage law.

Emergency Contacts

Mater Dei Hospital hyperbaric chamber, Malta. DAN Europe emergency line confirmed before departure. Full emergency contacts and site GPS coordinates held by surface support throughout the operation.

Enquire About This Site

Access the Phoenician Wreck with diveshack

The Phoenician Wreck at 105-110m off SW Gozo is accessible only through Heritage Malta permit, coordinated by a licensed Maltese dive operator. diveshack manages the permit process and expedition logistics for qualified CCR and XR Trimix divers who wish to access this extraordinary archaeological site.

Contact diveshack with your certification documentation and logged deep dive experience. This is not a standard charter. Permit lead times, availability and site access conditions are confirmed on a case-by-case basis in coordination with Heritage Malta.

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Relevant package for this site:

The Phoenician Wreck can be considered alongside the Tower Wreck, HMS Urge and HMS Olympus as part of Malta's extreme-depth heritage programme for CCR divers.