The new wreck of Malta

The tugboat was scuttled close to Sliema in June.

According to the Times of Malta, the vessel called Tug 2, cleaned of all oil and grease, was sunk onto the seabed 20 metres below the surface some 250 metres off St Julians and 389 metres from Portomaso breakwater in a project launched by the Professional Diving Schools Association in collaboration with the Malta Tourism Authority. The old vessel at first seemed reluctant to go when the scuttles were opened, but then sank quickly after an hour, resting in an upright position. People on the shore applauded and boats sounded their horns. They planned the scuttling in May but due to the bad weather they postponed it to June.

The diving has an important role in the tourism of Malta. According to Tourism Minister Karmenu Vella about 80,000 people arrives to the country attracted by the underwater activities. The new wreck is the only diving attraction in the area. The HMS Maori in Valletta slowly disintegrating, while the future access to the X127 barge at Manoel Island is uncertain.

The old tug boat is very similar to the famous Rozi, which is one of the main attraction in the Cirkewwa area. The Rozi was scuttled in 1992 is an attraction for submarine trips but later it became a favorite amongst divers and since then they created several new artificial reefs around Malta, which became one of the most popular diving destinations of the Mediterranean.