Shipwreck Dive in Maldives’ Sapphire Water, Here Are the Most Valuable Treasures You’ll Discover

Thursday 3rd of December 2020

Wish to take your diving experience to the next level? There’s no better way to do this than to go on a thrilling wreck dive. It not only makes you fall in love with the world that lies under the water’s surface here but also gives you an unforgettable taste of the history and culture of this wonderful destination.

First, let’s take a dive to the British Royalty that lies 16-33 meters below the water surface in the amazing Addu Atoll. About 140 meters long, this cargo ship is said to be one of the only wrecks in the Maldives to be sunk in active battle, destroyed in 1944 by German submarine U-183. However, it was destroyed first in 1942 by a midget sub from Japanese submarine I-16. Even though it was heavily damaged, it did not sink. Before the British withdraw from Gan in 1946, the Loyalty finally scuttled inside the Addu Atoll harbor.

And near the island of Vaavu Keyodhoo, you’ll discover a ship that’s said to be an Indonesian vessel that drifted empty into the atoll a few years ago. Although it is the perfect place for an Instagram photo, this ship gives a sense of mystery and tragedy. This half-submerged ship is a diver’s dream, home to colourful marine life and corals.

Then there’s the Rannamaari, not the Maldivian myth, but a deliberately sunk vessel. In 1999, the management of Ihuru Tourist Resort decided to create a deliberate wreck diving and started to hunt for an appropriate vessel for salvage and it did not take long for them to find the “Rannamaari” Dredger. It was towed to the island in 1999, planned to be deliberately sunk into the water two days after. But here’s where things get interesting- on the same day, the Rannamaari mysteriously sank by itself to its final resting place.