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Shipwrecks in Istrian
Waters
Ships:
- 2nd cent. - Skoljic Rock (Unije
Island) -
a
Roman trade vessel.
- 16th cent. - Pernat (Cres Island) -
a Venetian galley.
- 19th cent. - "Sailer" (Bobina Bay)
- wreckage is accessible to scuba divers.
- 6 December 1898 -
Hans Schmidt
(Istria) - an Austro-Hungarian merchant ship, built in 1882, sunk on the 6th
December in 1898, after a crash with italian ship Capraia on the way
from Venice to New York. The wreck is in two parts, a bow which is 10
meters long and the rest part of the wreck is 10 meters away. Diving
through the wreck is possible because of its size and passing ability.
There is a type of anchor which has not been produced for more than
100 years. In consideration of its oldness, it is very well preserved
and interesting for diving. Max. depth: 43 meters; Min. depth: 35
meters; Length: 99 meters; Width: 11,5 meters.
- Circa 1900 or late 1910s - Istra (Rovinj) -
an Austrian
freighter/cargo ship was sunk in the course of an airplane bombing and broke in two. An excellent dive
because of its spaciousness. The hull shows the terrible damages caused by the explosions, and lies at a depth
between 28m (or 33m) and 40 (or 42) m. Length: 80 m. (Frachtschiff ca.Länge 80 m.
Breite 11 m. Das Wrack Istra liegt in einer von Tiefe 28 – 42 m. Es
ist in 2 Teile zerbrochen. Die beiden Schiffrumpfteile liegen ca. 10 m
von einander entfernt. Achgtung! Gefahr durch verlorene
Fischernetze.)
- 27 October 1911 -
Elvira, a
trabaccolo, off the shores of Veruda, near Pula.
- 24 November 1911 - Romania or Romagna
(13 miles off Rovinj) - mixed passenger/freighter close to the Numidia (double-wreckage dive).
On its last voyage, the Romagna was transporting wheat from
Ravenna to Trieste. Today it lies at a depth of 40 m, and it is an
almost ghostly sight, with its 60 m of length heavily covered in the
remains of fishing nets. Experienced divers dive to the Romagna only
in conditions of exceptionally good visibility. Beautiful vegetation.
Technical details: Depth 28-40 metres, length 70 metres. Era una nave mista passeggeri-merci con uno dei primi motori diesel.
Affondò a seguito dello spostamento del carico di cotone il 24 novembre 1911 durante una tempesta e vi furono 48 morti.
Una decina di membri dell'equipaggio, ma non il comandante, si salvarono destando polemiche sul
giornale Piccolo di Trieste (all'epoca giornale austriaco) nei confronti dell'equipaggio ravennate. left (Das ehemalige Frachtschiff hat eine Länge von ca.70 m und
einer Breite von 8 m. Es liegt in einer Tiefe vom 28 – 40 m. Auf dem
Wrack finden wir schönen Bewuchs und Teile verlorener Fischernetze. Im
Wrack leben Conger, Hummer und Dorschschwärme.)
- Early World War I - nicknamed "John
Gilmore" - a merchant steamship whose true name is not known. It is
considered as one of the first ship which was sunk in this area at the
beginning of World War I. During its history, the ship has been
changing the owners and flags, so we can’t establish its last name. It
was built in English shipyard and equipped with J. Gilmore’s (English)
engines, and that’s why it was given this name. The ship is completely
preserved and the diving into the wreck is possible. Mainly, there is
a good visibility and weak streams. Max. depth: 44 meters; Min. depth:
36 meters; Length: 50 meters; Width: 8 meters.
- 1914 (approx.) - Josephina ( ) -a cargo steamship
owned by the Austro-Hungarian merchant marines, the Josephina
was built in 1864 and sank some 50 years later when it hit a mine
while sailing to Trieste. The force of the explosion ripped the prow
from the rest of the hull that now lies not far from the rest of the
wreck. The wreck lies in an upright position and it is possible to
dive through some of its parts. The few remains of fishing nets that
cover the wreck add to the diving experience and do not present any
danger.
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14 January 1914 - Lina ex
Ville de Natur,
ex Nueva Estramandura (Plecen/Prestenica Point, Cres Island) -
an
iron steamship built in Great Britain in 1879, at a time when iron
steamships had already won the race against sailboats. It sailed the
entire Mediterranean and up to northern Europe transporting oil and
wine from the Italian province of Puglia, and brining back coal from
Cardiff on the return voyage. On the night of 14 January 1914,
because of thick fog, the ship lost its way while navigating through
the Vela Vrata Channel. A heavy storm caused the ship to run aground
near Cape Peèen on Cres Island, where it quickly sank.
- 11 August 1914 -
Baron Gautsch (Rovinj) - a luxury passenger/cruise liner
(steamer) built in 1908 and belonging to the Austrian Lloyd, it was
six miles from the
Sv. Ivan (San Giovanni) lighthouse when it
collided with a
floating mine of the K&K navy. On board were family members of Austrian Navy officers
that it was transporting on the line Boka
Kotorska-Mali Lo¹inj-Trieste. Wishing to shorten traveling time, the
ship had tried to come through the mine field, which is 9 n.m. far
from Rovinj, because some merchant ship supposedly took that route.
But, it hit the mine with the middle of the port and quickly sank. The ship is protected by the Ministry of Culture in Republic of
Croatia. Entering the ship is allowed only through the first two
boards, for safety reasons. It is very well preserved and it gives
unforgettable pleasure to divers. The ship is
upright and in excellent
condition. Scuba divers can navigate through the inside of this
beautiful wreck which has decks and halls that are almost intact.
The upper deck starts at 28 m., while the maximum depth is 39 m.
The ship is 84 or 84,5 m. long and 11.5 or 12 m. wide. One can
dive through the inside of the wreck, but entry is permitted only in
two upper decks for security reasons and a permit from the Ministry
for Culture is requires. It takes more than one trip to see it all. It
is surrounded by eels and lobster.
- 23 August 1914 - Flamingo (Pula) -
an italian torpedo-boat, which was armed with two
bow-torpedoes and garrisoned by fourteen members. It was built on
29 August 1889 and sank at 02:30
after hitting one of its own mines. Captain J. O.
Krieg had succeeded in sending a light signal for urgent help and put an
emergency boat into the sea. Soon after, the emergency boat was
destroyed, because of the strong north-east wind and high waves. So
the crew had to fight with the sea and storm. Help from torpedo-boats
number 20 and 30 had arrived at 08:45. They have saved the commandant
and six crew-members, but eleven members were drowned. The bow with one
torpedo is preserved, but only the working shaft with the propeller
has left from the stern. It is recommended only for experienced
divers. Usually, there is a good visibility. Besides a plenty of fish
and crab-fish, there are a lot of “penatula” too. Max. depth: 45
meters; Min. depth: 42 meters; Length: 22 meters; Width: 4,8 meters.
- 18 January 1915 - Varese (Pula) -
an italian merchant steamship which was sunk on the 18th
January in 1915. It was transporting cargo from Trieste to Tunisia. The
captain had decided to take a shelter in a port of Pula because of
the storm which was at that time on the north Adriatic. Driving
towards the port the ship came over a mine, which has blown the bow
and sank on the same place where it is situated now. During the dive
it is possible to enter the wreck, which is quite wide and safe in its
whole length. Wreck “Varese” is demanded by divers, because of its
beauty, safety and simplicity. It is suitable for all sorts of
classical and technical diving, as well as for Nitrox or Trimix
courses. Max. depth: 42 meters; Min. depth: 33 meters; Length: 60
meters; Width: 9 meters.
- Late 1910s (World War I) - Maona (Rovinj)
- an Austrian barge or small freight ship, armed with cannons, used as a supply ship.
Maona is a vernacular Italian name meaning barge: it comes from the turkish mavona, meaning pot. The correct name in Italian would be
bettolina. The wreckage is accessible to scuba divers and is
surrounded by a large swarm of cod,
squid, lobster, cuttle-fish, and octopus. Technical details: hull lies at a
depth between 30 to 35 or 36 metres. Length of hull is 40 metres. (as Schiff sank im zweiten
Weltkrieg. Es handelt sich um einen Schleppkahn, ausgestattet mit einer kleinen
Bordkanone, die noch vorhanden ist. Das Wrack liegt in einer Tiefe von 30 – 36
m. Interessante Fauna am Wrack: Kalamari, Octopus, Hummer.)
- 1917 - Austrian troopship (Pag Island)
- 1917 - Italian military cargo (Pag Island)
- 16 November 1918 -
Rossarol
[or Cesare Rossarol] (Li¾njan) -
a modern Italian destroyer, was built in
Genova in 1913 and launched on 15 August 1914. It was sunk about 20 days after the end of
World War I. It was destroyed by a floating mine in a mined part of the sea
near the village of Li¾njan while it was heading to Fiume (Rijeka). The
hull of the ship broke into two pieces due to
its extremely powerful explosion and cruise speed. It was 85 m. tall
by width 8 m. wide. The bow sank vertically, while the stern
section ran for a while before sinking. Only few crewmen survived. The
bow is capsized, and lies about 300m far from the stern which stands
updright in navigation trim and is in fine condition at a base of -40
m. Its 106 mm. gun is still in position. The central part of the hull
was destroyed by the explosion. With a maximal depth of 55 m.
around it, the remain it is suitable diving for experienced and advanced
divers, and especially for TRIMIX mixtures. The
bigger bow part, which is about 50 meters long, is situated north on
the maximal depth of 55 meters turned upside down, with the cracked
skirting board through which is possible to see artillery bomb shells
in the bow repository. The stern, which is about 30 meters long, is
lying about 300 meters south, in a standing position on smaller depth.
Also, the whole low armament is very well preserved. Max. depth: 55
meters; Min. depth: 44 meters; Length: 85 meters; Width: 8 meters.
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31 October 1918 -
Viribus
Unitis (in Pula harbor) - an Austro-Hungarian, torpedoed by
two Italian frogmen.
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31 October 1918 (or earlier?) - Wein (Trieste?) -
an Austro-Hungarian armoured gunship, torpedoed by the same two Italian
frogmen who sank the Viribus Unitis.
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1943 -
Luana (Dormio) [location?] - a merchant ship which was sunk
by a mine during one of its regular voyages. Its wreck, well-preserved
and intact, lies in an upright position, and its faithful visitors are
weak sea currents and multitudes of fish. Because of the depth at which
it is located, only experienced divers can enter the wreck. The bow is separated from the rest part
of the ship by just a few meters. Visibility is always very good, streams are weak and there is a plenty
of fish. It is possible to enter the wreck, which is in one piece and
very well preserved. The wreck is suitable for technical diving, and it
requires more diving experiences, because of the depth. Max. depth: 48
meters; Min. depth: 38 meters; Length: 70 meters; Width: 11,5 meters.
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23 January 1943 - Hans Schmidt - For a long time, this
wreck was known as the Istria, because its true name was not known. It
was built in 1920 in the Netherlands under the name of the Albireo,
but it carries the name of its last owner from Germany. This cargo
steamship was ripped in two by an explosion when it struck an underwater
anti-watercraft mine on 23 January 1943. On its fatal voyage, it was
transporting armament and ammunition. On the seabed, the wreck is in two
parts: a 10-m prow, and the rest of the wreck some 10 m away.
Particularly interesting and of historical interest is the special type
of anchor that has not been in production for more than 100 years.
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1944 - Giuseppe Dezza TA 35 (Brioni Islands) - an Italian destroyer / minesweeper (not a torpedo boat) built in 1913,
was sunk North to Brioni Island,
between Rovinj and Pula. Until 1929, it carried the name “Pilade
Bronzetti”. It was sunk by English aircraft that spotted it during a
routine reconnaissance flight. A torpedo tore the vessel in two, so the
prow and the stern are now located at a distance of about 50 m. The
stern has a greater appeal to divers. The Giuseppe Dezza lies on the
seabed in an upright position as if frozen in time, and the cannons and
military equipment on its stern are well visible. The hull is split into two parts that lie at a
depth between 30m and 35 m. The gun batteries are still in place on the bow deck.
The accessible wreckage is surrounded by lobster and king herrings. Technical details: Depth: 30-35 metres. (Ein Kriegsschiff, das in
zwei Teile zerbrochen ist. Die große Bordkannone und eine Flackgeschütz
sind noch immer vorhanden. Das Schiff liegt im einer Tiefe von 30 – 35
m. Da der Grund sehr stark verschlammt ist, ist eine sehr gute
Tarrierung durch die Taucher notwendig.)
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1944 - Duilio
(port of Trieste) - and Italian
passenger ship
(1916-44), launched in 1916 bombed by Allied forces.
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1944 - Giulio Cesare (port of Trieste) - launched in
1922, bombed by Allied forces.
- 17 August 1944 -
Giuseppe Dezza - an italian
minesweeper, built on the 12th of September in 1913. The ship was
called Pilade Bronzetti until 1929, and that year it has
changed a name into Giuseppe Dezza. In September 1943 it
has turned into torpedo fleet of German navy and changed the name into
TA35. A torpedo has cut it in two pieces, so the bow and
stern are at a distance of 50 meters. It is used to dive on a bow
which is more interesting. It is standing in a right position with the
bow armament and machine guns which can be seen. Max. depth: 38
meters; Min. depth: 32 meters; Length: 73 meters; Width: 7,5meters.
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8
September 1944 - Rex
(between Isola and Capodistria in the vicinity of Provè) -
and Italian passenger ship.
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9 September 1944 - San
Marco (between Salvore and Pirano) - and Italian passenger
ship.
- 17 November 1944 (?) - Josephina -
a cargo steamship built in 1864 for the
Austro-Hungarian merchant marines. It was sunk when it hit a mine while sailing
to Trieste. The force of the explosion separated the bow from the rest of the
ship, and is lying around 10 meters away from the ship. Standing in the right position it is very suitable
for diving with the possibility of entering some parts of the ship. A
few fishing-nets on the wreck present no danger for divers, but make a
better impression. Max. depth: 43 meters; Min. depth: 36 meters;
Length: 61 meters; Width: 8 meters.
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14 December 1944 -
HMS Aldenham (off Pula) - a British Hunt-class destroyer,
built in Birkenhead by Cammell Laird
Shipyard during 1940, and launched during 1941. On March 27, 1942, the
HMS Aldenham had a part in the sinking of the German submarine
U-587 in Northern Atlantic.
She was cruising in the Northern Adriatic
Sea off the coasts of Istria when she collided with a floating mine. She
was severely damaged by the explosion and sank off Pula.
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1945 - Coreolanus (outside Novigrad)
- an
English
spy ship equipped with cannons. Technical
details: Depth: 17-30 metres, length: 50 metres. The accessible wreckage is
surrounded by cod, lobster, and conger. (Britisches Spionageschiff,
das durch eine Minenexplosion vor im Jahr 1945 vor Novigrad gesunken. Es heute
noch relativ gut erhalten. Länge: ca. 50 m, Breite 8 m. Das Wrack liegt auf
einer Tiefe von 17 – 30 m. Sehr viel verlorene Fischernetze liegen auf dem
Wrack. Schöner Bewuchs, viele Fischschwärme findet in der näheren Umgebung
des Wracks.
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12 November 1945
- William Hume (off Rovinj) - an United States merchant cargo
ship.
- 19 November 1945 - Jesse Billingsley (Gulf of Trieste)
- an United States merchant cargo ship.
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1945 (?) Torpedo (where?) - an English torpedo
patrol boat went down towards the end of World War II when it hit a mine
during a routine patrol. The dramatic explosion split the boat in two.
The first part is about 20 – 25 m long and is fully preserved. The
second part, 20 m long, lays several meters away, but is destroyed
because the English set it on fire to prevent the enemy from getting
hold of its radar
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1946 - Vis (Masnjak Point, Plomin Bay) -
a cargo steamship built in 1921 under the name Renteria.
In 1946, the Vis set sail for Ra¹a from Rijeka for a load of coal.
Because of the minefield had not yet been cleared in the central part of
Vela Vrata, the captain was ordered to stay as close to the Istrian
coastline as possible. However, not far from Cape Ma¹njak at the
entrance to Plomin Bay, a powerful explosion shook the boat. The
shipwrecked crew were saved by a sailing vessel and taken to Rab.
Alongside the ship on the seabed, you can see the remains of wooden
lifeboats that fell from their places.
- 16 October 1946 - Cassius Hudson (Gulf of Trieste) -
an United States merchant cargo ship.
- 27 January 1948 (Kvarner Channel) - Argo MV, ex
HMS Flint, ex Royal Navy Isle Class Trawler
(where?) - a Norwegian motorship. It set sail for
Rijeka from Venice with a cargo of tomatoes and was hit by a mine
left over from World War II. A strong explosion ripped the vessel in
two just behind the commanding bridge. Of its crew of 12, only one
survived. The prow and the stern lie some 50 m apart. Both parts are
in an upright position, only slightly sunken in mud. Parts of the
ship and ship equipment can be seen strewn between the prow and the
stern. Both anchors are still in place.
- late 1950s - Marija (where?)
- a wooden sailboat with a metal mast, sunk at
the end of 50s. It is partly rotted, so that ribs, with the parts
of wainscot, keel and mast can be seen. One part of it is covered with
the fishing nets, so the whole wreck is giving an image of the sunk
pirate ships. The ship is rich in fish, which makes a strong
impression. It is not demanding and enables diving for the less
experienced divers. Max. depth: 36 meters; Min. depth: 32 meters;
Length: 73 meters; Width: 7,5 meters.
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1960s - Draga (near Pola) - a sand-dredging
work
ship. It sank due to poor weather and overloading that caused a
breach in the prow, after which the vessel began to take in water.
There is a plenty of fish and usually a very good
visibility. From the permanent inhabitants, the most common are eels,
scorpion fish, lobster, crab-fish and cat-sharks. A lot of “penatula”
can be found around the wreck. The wreck is safe and appropriate for
diving in all categories from AOWD and higher. Diving in a bad weather
conditions is possible too because of its closeness to the coast. Max.
depth: 38 meters; Min. depth: 35 meters; Length: 26meters; Width: 6
meters.
- 1960s - Remorker (near Pula) -
a tugboat that was used for maneuvering larger ships in the ports. It is
standing in a upright position on the sandy bottom. Because of the
small size it is not possible to enter the wreck, but to dive above
and around it. The biggest attraction is a plenty of fish which have
settled down there. It is suitable for all divers which have just
finished a course for diving on the wrecks and bigger depth, or for
the finishing these courses. Max. depth: 37 meters; Min. depth: 35
meters; Length: 15 meters; Width: 3,5 meters.
Submarines:
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1918 (World War I)
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UC-25
(Pula) - UC-II-class, German
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UC-34
(Pula) - UC-II-class, German
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U-47
(Pula) - U-43-class, German
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UB-48
(off Pula) - UB-III-class, German
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UC-53
(Pula) - UC-II-class, German
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U-65
(Pula) - U-63-class, German
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U-73
(Pula) - UE-I-class, German
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UB-129
(off Rijeka) - UB-III-class, German
- 1944 (World War II)
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1944 -
U-81
Submarine
(Stoja, Pula) - VII-C class, German,
sunk at the end of World War II. It is supposed to be one of the seven
German
submarines, which they have sunk just before the end of war. The
submarine is not complete, only its stern has been found. The stern is
opened and it can be seen, as well as two diesel engines. Still
visible on the submarine are the remains of military equipment and air
holes. Also, there are remains of the bomb-shell and openings for the
air on the submarine. Diving is possible in a bad weather conditions,
because of its closeness to the coast. There is often a lower visibility, because of the
sand bottom and underwater streams. Diving on the submarine is quite
easy and simple, what enables diving for the less experienced divers
with the escort of our leaders.
Wrecks
that are not dated:
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Amsterdam (Mali Lo¹inj) -
Cargo ship.
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Coriolanus (Novigrad) - a sunken battle ship of the
British Royal Navy of the Shakespeare class, it is located west of
Novigrad at a depth from 11– 25 m. Although being a minesweeper, the
ship sank after hitting a mine. Powered by steam engines designed for
the roughest weather and weighing more than 554 tons, it was armed with
anti-aircraft cannons and 30 anti-submarine depth charges. Launched in
1940, it was part of a 12-ship fleet.
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Gilda (Cape Savudrija) - Having hit an underwater mine,
the Gilda was split in two. As this dive site is on the open sea, you
will do an open water dive with the help of an anchored rope or the rope
of a buoy tied to the wreck. When diving at this site, all divers need
to be alert and cautious. In the company of an experienced guide, your
adventure and merging with the underwater world is sure to become an
experience you won’t forget.
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Numidia (Rovinj) - forrmer
freighter dating back to World War II. It is one of the largest wreckage in the
Adriatic and is surrounded by large mussels and congers. Technical details: 28-40 metres,
length: 120 metres. (Ein großes Frachtschiff: Länge 120 m, Breite 13 m. Es
liegt in einer Tiefe von 28 – 40 m.
Am Wrack brauchen Taucher wegen der Größe des Wracks
eine gute Unterwasserorientierung. Sehr schöner Bewuchs. Am Wrack
findet man eine lebendige Unterwasserwelt. Gefahr besteht
durch viele verlorene Fischernetze.)
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Tihany (Skoljic Rock, Unije Island) -
a Hungarian cargo ship, it is lying on the port
along the reef of the island ©koljiæ in front of Unije. The whole ship
is opened and diving through the wreck is possible. Diving is quite
simple, because of the position and closeness to the coast. Lower
categories (OWD) can observe it on a short distance diving along the
wall on a depth of 20 meters. Max. depth: 35 meters; Min. depth: 29
meters; Length: 60 meters; Width: 8,5 meters.
-
Unnamed yacht - technical details: Depth 25 metres, length: 20 metres. Numerous
swarms of fish, flora.
-
Peltastis (Klimno Bay, Krk Island) - cargo ship.
Other shipwrecks in the area:
-
Relitto Nuova
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Rimorchiatore
-
Draga
Other
sinkings:
-
2 July 1915 -
Italian Torpedo Boat 17 OS,
mined off the Istrian coast by one of her own mines whilst laying a
minefield.
-
31 July 1916 - Giacinto
Pullino (Galiola cliff) - an Italian submarine ran aground
due to navigation error at positon 44°42'N/14°10'E, off Istria,
Galiola cliff. Next day, it was salvaged by the Austro-Hungarians,
but sunk when in tow, as a pilot on
board was the Austrian subject Nazario Sauro. He was executed as
traitor by the Austrians and is glorified by the Italians as a
national martyr. Raised
on 28 February 1931 by the Italian Navy, scrapped.
-
16 May 1917 (Fasana Channel) -
Austrian-Hungarian submarine U-5 hit Italian mine
during diving exercise after a general refit at Fasana Channel,
between Istria Peninsula and Brioni Islands. It was raised on 23
June from 20 m, rebuilt and recommissioned on 27 August 1918.
Other
related shipwrecks worldwide:
- September 1875 - Il
naufrago del Bark Stefano / The Castaways - a manuscript by Padre Stefano Scurla
(English and Italiano)
- March 1972 - Istrian yacht. destroyed by a cyclone between Brisbane and Gladstone,
Queensland, AUSTRALIA. [LQ].
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