A ship has been flooded and sunk in the Xatt l-Ahmar area of Gozo on Monday afternoon, becoming another diving attraction for the Maltese Islands.

The Hephesteus had run aground off Qawra in 2018 and on Monday the ship was towed to Gozo in preparation for the scuttling.

Present for this occasion were Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo, Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, and officials from the Maltese Tourism Authority and the Environment and Resources Authority.

Minister Bartolo said that the country’s reputation in the diving tourist niche has always been strong. “This scuttling is another confirmation that we continue to give divers a wider choice of attractions than they had in the past. The Hephesteus forms an integral part of out vision to continue to strengthen the touristic product of our country.”He also pointed out that tourists who come to dive in this country leave a positive impact on the Maltese economy, “because they tend to have relatively longer stays than other visiting tourists.”

Minister Camilleri said that Gozo will have another attraction to offer with the 55 diving sites already existing.

He added that, “this is another step so that the masterplan that we launched in May this year, and which was agreed with all the stakeholders, is carried out so that this industry, so important for Gozo, continues to be an attractive and sustainable one for the years to come.”

Photos: DOI/Jeremy Wonnacott

Permalink: Ship scuttled off Gozo to become latest diving attraction