Zenobia, Swedish ferry 172 m, Larnaca Cyprus, 18-42 m, PADI top 10. SS Sirio 1906 Cabo de Palos. Malta Um el Faroud, P29. Scapa Flow Orkney 52 warships 1919. Hundreds of Roman, Greek and Phoenician wrecks.
Croatia, Malta, Ustica (Italy), and Ceuta appear as wreck diving destinations, both recreational and technical. Divers highlight the advantage of avoiding intercontinental flights while maintaining high historical and technical interest. Itineraries, depths (many wrecks require Nitrox or technical training), specialized operators, and costs compared to tropical destinations are all debated.
The undisputed benchmark is the MS Zenobia, a 172-meter Swedish ferry that sank in 1980 off Larnaca (Cyprus) at depths between 18 and 42 meters; it regularly features among the ten best wrecks in the world according to PADI. In Spanish waters, the SS Sirio stands out, sunk in 1906 off Cabo de Palos and known as "the Titanic of the Mediterranean." In the North Atlantic, the Scottish Orkney Islands harbour the German fleet of Scapa Flow, scuttled in 1919 with 52 ships. The Mediterranean also holds hundreds of Roman, Greek, and Phoenician wrecks.