Um El Faroud: The Queen of Malta's Wrecks
If HMS Maori is Malta's most accessible and historically celebrated wreck, then Um El Faroud is its most technically impressive. A massive 115-metre Libyan oil tanker lying on her side at 30-36 metres on Malta's southern coast, the Um El Faroud offers a wreck diving experience of a completely different scale — one that challenges and rewards experienced divers with one of the most dramatic artificial reef experiences in the entire Mediterranean.
DUNE rates the Um El Faroud among the finest wreck dives in Europe and includes it in our advanced Malta programs. For divers with the experience to explore it fully, the Faroud delivers an encounter with an entire artificial ocean world that is difficult to find anywhere else in European waters.
The History of Um El Faroud
Um El Faroud — Arabic for "Father of the Cold" — was built in Spain in 1969 and spent her working life as an oil tanker serving Libyan petroleum interests. She was 115 metres long, 17 metres wide, and displaced over 10,000 tonnes.
On 3 February 1995, a gas explosion during cleaning operations in Valletta's Grand Harbour killed nine Maltese dockyard workers and caused catastrophic structural damage. After considerable deliberation, a decision was made to sink the vessel as an artificial reef. On 3 September 1998, following extensive preparations and removal of fuel and environmentally sensitive materials, the Um El Faroud was deliberately sunk off Malta's southern coast near Wied iz-Zurrieq. She settled on her port side in 36 metres of water, where she remains today.
Dive Site Overview
- Maximum depth: 36 metres (starboard hull, deepest section)
- Minimum depth: 18 metres (keel, shallowest accessible point)
- Length: 115 metres
- Orientation: Lying on port side, oriented roughly east-west
- Visibility: Typically 20-30 metres
- Current: Light to moderate; exposed southern location can produce surface swell
- Entry: Boat dive only
Exploring the Um El Faroud
- The Bow: The shallowest accessible point with an excellent orientation for new visitors. The anchor chain, windlass, and forward deck equipment are remarkably intact.
- The Bridge Section: Amidships, the bridge and accommodation block offer extensive penetration opportunities for qualified wreck divers. The engine room contains impressive period machinery.
- The Cargo Tanks: Opened to create accessible swim-through passages. Swimming through these cavernous spaces, with daylight filtering through tank openings above, is an extraordinary experience.
- The Stern: Features the enormous propeller — a popular photographic subject — and the steering mechanism of this large vessel.
Marine Life
In 25+ years since she was sunk, the Um El Faroud has developed into an extraordinary marine ecosystem:
- Enormous barracuda schools congregating around the mid-ship section on most dives
- Large grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) in the most sheltered sections
- Moray eels of exceptional size in the lower sections
- Octopus throughout, with particularly high densities in tank openings
- Brilliant orange anthias (Anthias anthias) clouding the upper hull surfaces
- Multiple species of nudibranch for macro enthusiasts
Diving Levels and Requirements
- External exploration: Advanced Open Water certification and 30+ logged dives recommended
- Limited penetration: Advanced Open Water + Wreck Diver specialty
- Full penetration: Advanced + Wreck Diver + technical certification preferred
- Nitrox: Strongly recommended to extend bottom time and manage nitrogen loading at depth
Dive the Um El Faroud with DUNE
DUNE includes the Um El Faroud in our advanced Malta diving programs, paired with complementary sites including HMS Maori, the Blue Hole in Gozo, and Cirkewwa for a comprehensive Maltese experience. Our expert guides know every section of the Faroud intimately and ensure our clients make the most of each dive.
Contact DUNE at dune-world.com to explore our advanced Malta diving programs and plan your Um El Faroud expedition.