Astron Wreck
Protected Area
Costa Azul
Why dive here
With 250+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, humpback whales, nurse sharks, orcas and sea turtles - Astron Wreck offers some of Punta Cana's richest wreck diving. Water sits around 27°C.
The Astron Wreck in Punta Cana is a proper old freighter, broken into two main sections and lying on its side. It’s sitting at a perfect depth for intermediate divers, around 10 to 18 metres, which means you get decent bottom time to really snoop around. We love that the sheer size of it gives you options; you can just cruise over the top, taking in the scale, or if you’re wreck trained, there are some great swim-throughs into the cargo holds. Our favourite part is seeing how nature has just taken over. What was once steel and machinery is now a home for schools of snapper that swirl around the structure, and we’ve spotted green turtles resting in the quieter sections. The visibility here is usually pretty good, making the light rays filtering through the broken hull quite dramatic. We’d suggest going early in the morning before too many boats arrive; the wreck feels much more imposing when it's just you and a few others gliding through its shadowy corridors. It’s a genuinely satisfying wreck dive, offering more than just a quick look.
Typical Astron Wreck Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Astron Wreck Wreck History
Year Sunk
1978
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
grounding
Tonnage
27,990 GRT
Built in France in 1957, the vessel originally named Esmeralda and later Bonnie would become one of the most famous landmarks in the Dominican Republic. At the time of its loss, the 127-meter motor ship was named Astron and was operating under Russian ownership, a remnant of its Cold War-era service.
On April 7, 1978, the Astron was reportedly en route to Cuba with a cargo of 60 tons of corn when it ran aground in shallow waters off the coast of Punta Cana. While some accounts attribute the incident to a powerful storm, official weather records for that date are clear, leaving the true cause of the grounding a subject of local legend and speculation. The ship broke in two, spilling a large quantity of bunker fuel into the sea.
Today, the Astron is an iconic wreck, with its bow section still jutting prominently from the turquoise water. The stern section lies submerged in about 16 meters of water, making it an accessible and exciting dive. Divers can explore the massive propeller, swim through parts of the superstructure, and observe the abundant marine life that has turned this hulking piece of steel into a thriving artificial reef.
Nearest Dive Centres to Astron Wreck
Dive shops near Astron Wreck
Sea Pro - S.A.
Dominican Divers
DOLIN DIVE CENTER
Dressel Divers
Seaklub
Reviews for Astron Wreck
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Astron Wreck
Astron Wreck Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Astron Wreck, sourced from NOAA buoy data - nearest station: Open-Meteo grid (18.52, -68.36) (0km away)
August Averages
Sea Temperature
26.7°C
80°F
Air Temperature
27.64°C
82°F
Wind Speed
5.12 m/s
10.0 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1014.7 hPa
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC
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