ABU MOOSA - Southern Islands

Abu Moosa is one of those Singapore wrecks that still feels like a proper mystery, even after all these years. This tug went down in 1989, and while it's officially classified as "dangerous" (which often just means it’s a bit of a scramble), we find it’s more exciting than alarming. You'll hit the deck around 25 metres. Visibility here can be a bit of a lottery; sometimes you get 8 metres, other times it’s more like 2, but that just adds to the adventure, right? What we love about Abu Moosa is the sheer scale of the thing. It’s upright and largely intact, providing plenty of nooks and crannies to poke your head into, assuming your buoyancy is dialled in. We’ve spent dives tracing the lines of the superstructure, imagining it as it was. Look out for the resident batfish; they're usually schooling off the bow. On a good day, with a bit of ambient light, the way the schools of snapper weave through the holds is quite something. It’s a dive for those who enjoy exploration and don't mind a bit of a challenge in lower vis. Go during slack tide for the best chance of a relaxed penetration.

Location
Southern Islands, Singapore, Southeast Asia
Coordinates
1.241667, 103.790000
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
25m

Wreck History - ABU MOOSA

Year Sunk
1989
Vessel Type
tugboat
Cause
unknown

The Abu Moosa is a ghost wreck in the busy shipping lanes of Singapore. The tugboat, owned by Chuan Hup, sank for unknown reasons on January 13, 1989, in the waters around the Southern Islands. Despite salvage operators being appointed on a 'no cure-no pay' basis, the vessel was never successfully refloated and its exact location remains unconfirmed.

Designated as a 'Dangerous Wreck', the Abu Moosa poses a potential hazard to navigation in one of the world's most congested maritime corridors. For the diving community, it is not an accessible site but a tantalizing mystery. Its story serves as a reminder of the countless vessels that lie undiscovered on the seabed, silent monuments to maritime incidents, waiting for the day they might be found by future generations of underwater explorers.

Marine Protected Area: Labrador Nature Reserve

Best Time to Dive in Southern Islands

The warmest water temperatures in Southern Islands occur in January, averaging 28.2°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.2°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 28.2°C (air: 26.0°C)
  • February: 28.2°C (air: 26.6°C)
  • March: 28.2°C (air: 27.1°C)
  • April: 28.2°C (air: 27.4°C)
  • May: 28.2°C (air: 27.9°C)
  • June: 28.2°C (air: 27.4°C)
  • July: 28.2°C (air: 27.5°C)
  • August: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
  • September: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
  • October: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
  • November: 28.2°C (air: 26.5°C)
  • December: 28.2°C (air: 26.3°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in Southern Islands

Nearest Dive Centres to ABU MOOSA

Marine Life in Southern Islands

Home to 284 recorded species including 179 reef fish, 46 hard corals, 17 seagrass & algae, 13 sharks & rays, 8 sea snails & nudibranchs, 6 other.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for ABU MOOSA

Based on average water temperature of 28.2°C.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • 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