About this dive site
This dive site presents the MV Pippo, a fascinating wreck located off Ahrax Point near Mellieha Bay in Malta. The wreck is easily accessible by boat only and offers an experience suitable for experienced divers. The maximum depth of this dive is 36 meters, with an average depth of 30 meters. This small fishery workboat, built in 1976, sank in October 2004 after taking on water while returning from Comino. It’s a concrete-hulled vessel measuring 18 metres in length and lies upright on the sandy seabed. What makes this wreck particularly interesting is its relatively well-preserved condition, retaining some of its original fishing industry equipment, including tuna cages attached to the stern. Penetration inside the wreck is possible though space is limited. Marine life commonly observed around the Pippo includes small fish, crabs, shrimps, and occasionally a large grouper. The ship’s history details its transformation from a research vessel to a cruise boat and eventually a fish cargo vessel for Maltese tuna farming operations. Several attempts at salvage were unsuccessful.