MT Hephaestus

MT Hephaestus is a wreck dive off Xatt l-Ahmar on the south coast of Gozo, Malta. She is a 61 m oil tanker with a beam of 8 m that was scuttled on 29 August 2022 to become the fourth artificial reef off Gozo.

The tanker ran aground in a severe storm on 10 February 2018 at Qawra Point, Malta, when the crew lost control while trying to reach a sheltered bay. She was judged irreparable, then cleaned up and prepared for sinking as a dive attraction.

She sits bolt upright on the seabed, perpendicular to the coast, at a depth of about 46 m, with a range of 32 to 45 m. She is the easternmost of the Xatt l-Ahmar wrecks and the furthest from shore. There is a large prominent bridge and big open holds that can be penetrated. Holes have been cut into the sides and between the holds for easier access to the engine room, and there are many rooms and passageways.