Imperial Eagle MV - Comino
Dropping down onto the Imperial Eagle is like stepping back in time, then fast-forwarding to a thriving reef. This old passenger ferry, scuttled back in 1999, now sits upright and relatively intact on the seabed off Comino. We love the way she’s become an artificial reef, attracting everything from schooling barracuda to curious groupers that peer out from the companionways. The real draw here, beyond the sheer scale of the wreck, is the swim-through from bow to stern on the main deck. It’s a proper penetration, but wide enough for comfort and with plenty of light filtering in – just remember your torch. Look out for the resident morays tucked into the engine room hatches. Our favourite spot is the stern, where the propeller still stands proud and schools of damselfish flit around the rudder. This site is brilliant for advanced divers looking for a good long bottom time on a well-preserved wreck with healthy marine colonisation. We’d suggest going in the morning; the visibility tends to be at its best before the afternoon boat traffic stirs things up.
- Location
- Comino, Malta, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 35.951607, 14.455948
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 15-30m
Marine Protected Area: Il-Ġebla tal-Għallis, limiti tan-Naxxar
Best Time to Dive in Comino
The warmest water temperatures in Comino occur in August, averaging 28.1°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 15.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 16.4°C
- February: 15.5°C
- March: 15.3°C
- April: 16.2°C
- May: 18.7°C
- June: 22.9°C
- July: 26.9°C
- August: 28.1°C
- September: 27.3°C
- October: 24.9°C
- November: 22.2°C
- December: 19.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Comino
- ABINGDON - 14m (wreck)
- Alex's Cave Dive Site (cave)
- Anadrian - 60m (wreck)
- Anchor Reef Dive Site (reef)
- ANTONIO E FRANCESCO - 55m (wreck)
- BARGE 1 - 60m (wreck)
- Bengħisa Patch (reef)
- Bengħisa Reef (reef)
- BLACK PEARL - 2m (wreck)
- BLENHEIM BOMBER - 28m (wreck)
- Blue Lagoon Tunnel Dive Site (cave)
- Blue Waters Dive Cove - 5-20m (reef)
- BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER - 35m (wreck)
- CAROLINA - 11m (wreck)
- Ċirkewwa Arch Dive Site (cave)
Nearest Dive Centres to Imperial Eagle MV
- ABC Diving - PADI
- Aquamarina
- Aquatica Scuba Diving
- Atlantis Diving Centre - PADI, BSAC, VDST, TDI
- Blue Waters Dive Cove - ["PADI"]
- Bubbles Dive Shop
Marine Life in Comino
Home to 24 recorded species including 12 reef fish, 4 sharks & rays, 2 whales & dolphins, 2 seagrass & algae, 2 hard corals, 1 other.
Notable Species
- Painted Comber (Serranus scriba) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Coris julis) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) - Reef Fish
- Ornate Wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) - Reef Fish
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Salema (Sarpa salpa) - Reef Fish
- Garrupa (Serranus cabrilla) - Reef Fish
- Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Mediterranean tapeweed (Posidonia oceanica) - Seagrass & Algae
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Damsel fish (Chromis chromis) - Reef Fish
- sting ray (Dasyatis pastinaca) - Sharks & Rays
- killer alga (Caulerpa taxifolia) - Seagrass & Algae
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Moonfish (Mola mola) - Reef Fish
- Scarlet Coral (Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) europaea) - Hard Corals
- Red coral (Corallium rubrum) - Soft Corals
- Bushy Coral (Cladocora caespitosa) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for Imperial Eagle MV
Based on average water temperature of 21.1°C, currents 2 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 21°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories