ANNA XYLA

The *Anna Xyla* was a Greek-owned oil tanker built in 1971. For a decade, it served the booming oil industry, a modern vessel designed to transport vast quantities of crude oil across the globe. At a formidable 44,795 GRT, it was a significant player in the energy supply chain of the era, operating in one of the world's most critical oil-producing regions in the Arabian Gulf.

The tanker's career came to a dramatic and fiery end on May 20, 1981. While taking on a cargo of crude oil at the Jebel Dhanna terminal in the UAE, a series of catastrophic explosions ripped through its pump and engine rooms. The resulting fire engulfed the vessel, creating a perilous situation. The burning hulk was quickly towed away and beached in shallow water to prevent it from sinking in the terminal. After the fires were extinguished, the damage was assessed to be beyond repair. The vessel was declared a constructive total loss, refloated, and towed out to a safe location where it sank to its final resting place on June 2nd.

Today, the *Anna Xyla* lies at a depth of 25 meters, making it an accessible and exciting wreck dive. The sheer size of the tanker is impressive, and although the superstructure has collapsed from the intense fire, the hull remains largely intact. Divers can explore the vast deck, peer into cargo holds, and navigate around the mangled remains of the engine and pump rooms where the disaster began. The warm waters have encouraged prolific marine growth, and the wreck now acts as a thriving artificial reef, attracting large schools of snapper, barracuda, and the occasional turtle.