AL MALYN
Why dive here
With 119+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue-spotted stingrays, giant moray eels, grey reef sharks, pygmy seahorses and sea turtles - AL MALYN offers some of Mabul & Kapalai's richest wreck diving.
Al Malyn isn't your flashy, intact wreck, and that's precisely why we love it. Sunk in bad weather back in '83, this old launch vessel, a mere 21 metres long, lies broken in three main pieces at 45 metres. It’s a deep dive, make no mistake, and one that absolutely demands good buoyancy. When we drop in, the sheer depth can feel a little daunting, but as you descend, the wreck slowly resolves from the blue. What you'll find isn't pristine metal, but a skeletal structure colonised by decades of growth. The bow section is our favourite, with its twisted metal attracting schools of yellow-stripe scad that swirl around the remains of the wheelhouse. Look closer, past the hard corals that crust the hull, and you’ll often spot robust ghost pipefish tucked into crevices. Large groupers cruise in and out of the deeper sections, and we’ve even seen marbled snake eels poking their heads from beneath the collapsed deck plates. The visibility here can be excellent, but if there's any current, it's best to hit the site early. It’s a dive for those who appreciate history and the slow reclamation of man-made objects by the ocean, rather than those seeking a fully intact vessel.
Typical AL MALYN Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Maximum depth 45m exceeds recreational limits (40m). Technical diving certification and equipment required.
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
AL MALYN Wreck History
Year Sunk
1983
Vessel Type
ferry
Cause
storm
The Al Malyn, a 21-meter launch vessel, met a tragic end on January 11, 1983. While underway in the Celebes Sea, the vessel was caught in severe weather and sank. The situation was made catastrophic by the fact that the vessel was dangerously overloaded, believed to be carrying 226 people-more than double its official capacity of 100. While 150 passengers were rescued, the sinking remains a somber event in the region's maritime history.
Today, the Al Malyn rests at a depth of 45 meters off the coast of Mabul. This is a challenging dive reserved for technical or experienced deep divers with the proper training and equipment. The wreck's poignant history lends a solemn atmosphere to the exploration. Its structure now serves as an artificial reef, attracting marine life such as groupers, schooling jacks, and various macro critters that thrive in the deep, nutrient-rich waters.
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Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for AL MALYN
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