ATY (POSSIBLY) - Northumberland & Northeast

The ATY, a fishing vessel sunk in 1972, is a brilliant example of a wreck that’s been completely reclaimed by the North Sea. Sitting at 18 metres, it’s an accessible dive for most, and we’ve spent many hours nosing around its structure. What you get here is a proper wreck dive, nothing too deep or complex, just a solid steel hull that’s become an apartment block for crabs and a nursery for juvenile fish. Drop down onto the deck and you’re immediately enveloped by the gloom and green of the local water, but don't let that put you off. Your torch beam will pick out squat lobsters peeking from every crevice. We particularly love the feeling of swimming along the intact superstructure, the deck plates often thick with plumose anemones, their white tentacles waving gently in the surge. Look closely and you’ll find nudibranchs inching their way across the rusty metal. It’s a site that rewards slow exploration. The low visibility often keeps other divers away, which is a bonus for us. Go on a slack tide for the easiest conditions, and you’ll have the whole place to yourself to imagine its final moments.

Location
Northumberland & Northeast, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
54.754253, -3.976269
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
18m

Wreck History - ATY (POSSIBLY)

Year Sunk
1972
Vessel Type
fishing vessel
Cause
unknown

The Aty was a fishing vessel whose career came to an abrupt end on June 2, 1972. While working off the coast of Northumberland, the vessel suddenly sprang a severe leak. The crew was unable to control the flooding, and the Aty foundered and sank. Fortunately, the entire crew was rescued safely, leaving the small ship to settle on the seabed as its final resting place.

Located at a very accessible depth of 18 meters, the Aty is a popular site for divers of all levels, from newly certified Open Water divers onwards. However, despite its shallow depth, the wreck carries a 'dangerous' classification, likely due to monofilament lines, nets, or sharp, deteriorating metal. Cautious divers are rewarded with a fascinating look at a relatively modern wreck. It's a perfect place to observe how quickly nature colonizes a man-made structure, with anemones, crabs, and schools of fish now inhabiting the vessel's remains.

Marine Protected Area: Torrs to Mason's Walk

Nearby Dive Sites in Northumberland & Northeast

Nearest Dive Centres to ATY (POSSIBLY)

Marine Life in Northumberland & Northeast

Home to 132 recorded species including 53 reef fish, 15 whales & dolphins, 11 sharks & rays, 10 other, 10 seagrass & algae, 9 crabs & lobsters.

Notable Species