Four years after crashing into rocks at Qawra, the 60-metre and 885-tonne oil tanker Hephaestus is finally set to be scuttled at Ix-Xatt l-Aħmar, Gozo to become an artificial reef.

Scuttling refers to the deliberate sinking of a ship. This practice used to take place for a variety of reasons, especially during times of war. Nowadays, scuttling mostly takes place in order to form artificial reefs which, in turn, promote marine life.

Hephaestus crashed into Qawra Point on 10th February 2018 during a storm, when the ship was dragged around three kilometres from its anchor point in is-Sikka l-Bajda. After an hour of drifting, the tanker ran into the rocks. Thankfully, all seven crewmembers were unharmed and there was no cargo on board.

Following some essential, albeit temporary, repairs, Hephaestus was towed to the Marsa shipyard by two tugboats in August 2018. However, the damage was so severe that it was deemed too costly to repair – so the vessel was cleaned and prepared to be scuttled as a scuba diving attraction.

In the years since it ran aground, the ship was already an attraction, with locals and tourists alike getting as close to the wreckage as possible and taking pictures with it.

The tanker will rest off the coast of Gozo in Xatt l-Aħmar at a depth of approximately 40 metres, with three other wrecks nearby: MV Karwela; MV Xlendi; and MV Cominoland.

Have you visited the wreck while it was on land?

 Department of Information (Malta) via Clodagh Farrugia O'Neill/Facebook, Visit Malta/Facebook