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Scuba Diving in Malta, Europe
Reader Reviews:
Dive Site: Blenheim Bomber
Location: Coast of Delimara, 800 metres (2600 feet) off Xrob l-Ghagin
Description: Plane
Depth: 42 metres max (138 feet)
Visibility: 35 - 40 metres (115 - 130 feet)
Rating: *****
The Blenheim Bomber is one of the best dives in Malta! Its history is unclear, but when it crashed inot the water it landed on its belly, loosing the front of the cabin and nose wheel. It is dived by boat, but not all dive Centers know of its exact location. There is sometimes a current running so it is important to descend as quickly as possible holding onto the shot line which will be provided. This is a dive for more experienced divers only.
Jeffrey Pappalardo, Dive Guide
After a 10 minute boat ride from Marsascala we dropped down the anchor line and slowly but surely the Blenheim Bomber came into view - it was spine tingling! Both wings (a span of 17 metres) were clearly visible along with the two engines. One engine still has its propeller. The pilot's seat and joy stick were also still amazingly in place. The rear section of fuselage has somersaulted in front of the plane after impact but the middle section is totally missing. Much of the fuselage was covered with brightly coloured sponges and hydroids, as well as tube worms, anemones and soft corals. There was a resident spiny lobster and on the day I dived the bomber there was a large green back turtle also visiting -mind you, we were told that this is not a regular visitor!
The bomber is one of those rare wrecks that everyone must see if they get the chance, this is a deep dive so you should really have training in deep diving before doing the dive. This is one of my best dives, everytime I visit Malta I dive this wreck. There is a sad thing about it though in the last 5 years I have noticed the wreck breaking apart, this is due to the dive boat putting the shot through a wing, I think it is time to invest in a proper mooring bouy. Other than that it is rare to be able to get to these depths with crystal clear water and very flat bottom some years back there was a pilots seat but that has been removed which is a shame.
John Smart
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