British Loyalty Wreck

The British Loyalty was a British tanker torpedoed by a German submarine while anchored in Addu Atoll during the Second World War, first struck in 1942 and later finished off in 1944 before settling in the lagoon near Gan. The wreck lies in the southernmost atoll of the Maldives, Seenu Atoll, close to Hithadhoo, and is one of the few significant wreck dives in the country. It sits broken on a sandy bottom with depths ranging from around 15 metres near the top of the structure down to over 30 metres at the seabed, making it a dive best suited to those with wreck experience. The hull is heavily encrusted with soft corals and sponges, and divers commonly encounter reef fish, barracuda, and occasional larger pelagics drawn to the structure. Its size and length are substantial for a tanker of its era, and much of the deck and superstructure remain recognisable despite decades underwater.