Is a ladder rickety or missing? Any dangers that someone could do something about? Are you noticing illegal activities on site? Do you have a suggestion to improve the diving facilities on site? Or on the positive side: Something well done that you would like to let others know, like addition / change of ladders or good maintenance of public utilities? Tell authorities and visitors to this website about it by filling the form below.
Current entries received from you
Date | Name of diving site | Issue status | Site issue, Comment or Message to send to authorities and divers about this diving site | File Upload (Publicly viewable) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
28/05/2023 | MT Hephaestus and Cirkewwa | Open / Current Issue | Illegal Fishing and transiting within diving zone at Xatt l-Ahmar Wrecks and Cirkewwa Marine Park - More information in private message During the dive we encountered a Fishing Pot right on the wreck, as per attached pictures. Through communication with other local diving instructors we have been informed that regular illegal transiting and fishing is being carried out in he wrecks area as follows: 'Small Luzzo every morning and eve 7-10am same one. Also a bigger one trawling via the wrecks and middle finger (Ras il-Hobz). 9-10am daily' Whilst we were on site with divers surfacing from this deep dive at least one pleasure boat also navigated throughout the restricted zone (inside of the Karwela buoy) without hearing heed from the divers & the diving boat boatman who advised the driver of the pleasure boat to keep out of the zone. Unfortunately we could not identify the boat registration number. Also, yesterday morning (Saturday), I personally witnessed multiple vessels transiting again very close, within a few feet from the Cirkewwa wreck marker buoys, one of which was inside of them and directly in the divers' transiting zone. I took photos with a long range 300mm lens which in some cases can clearly identify the vessels. I am attaching these photos to this email. The rental boat seen in the pictures taken did not just pass once, but did so at least four or five times! Freedivers frequent the Cirkewwa wrecks regularly as well, so they are even more in danger. AFM unfortunately knows too well what it means to lose a fellow member due to being hit by a boat and we'd appreciate efforts to prevent this, rather than seek for the culprit later. These pictures were taken only in the span of a few minutes before kitting up or de-kitting, hence the numbers presented in this email are just the top of the iceberg. | |
07/05/2023 | Reqqa Point | Resolved | We have noted posts on social media that Reqqa Point' s access ladder has fallen in the sea. The site is extremely difficult to access otherwise, and is however one of the best sites in Gozo for underwater landscape, caverns and marine life. Due to technical diving carried out, shore access is difficult and may lead to medical complications following a deep dive. | |
10/04/2024 | Billinghurst, Xatt l-Ahmar and Reqqa Point | Partly resolved | Billinghurst - no ladder but there were two on shore (maybe retrieved by divers or your workers) Xatt l-Ahmar - only 1 ladder which already has a broken chain Reqqa Point - railing on top sorely needed for divers using twinset or heavy rebreathers - they cannot simply climb on rocks. Update on 16/05/2024: BIllinghurst ladder back in Update on 09/06/2024 - Reqqa Point top rails seen in place. | |
17/04/2023 | Ras il-Hobz | Resolved | We have noted reports in the media that there has been a drainage overflow at Ras il-Hobz, as reported by Lovin Malta today. As reproduced on this site, https://www.divinginfo.mt/unbelievable-worst-timing-ever-drainage-spill-at-ras-il-hobz/ this is the worst timing ever to have such a spill at this site due to visiting Scuba Diving International Influencers visiting these shores for two international events happening over this same week! | |
12/11/2022 | M/T Hephaestus / Xatt l-Ahmar | Open / Current Issue | Recently our website www.divinginfo.mt has been contacted by tourist and local divers with a suggestion to pass on to authorities. The suggestion is to install a kitting up bench (or more) at Xatt l-Ahmar in a location which is now being more frequented for diving the new wreck scuttled this year, the M/T Hephaestus. Whilst similar benches are located further to the west, setting up a bench or more in a closer location will make it more comfortable for tourists and locals alike to dive the new wreck from this zone, which is preferred as the shorter swimming distance enables lesser decompression requirement (and reduces dangers) since it is much closer to wreck than the main kitting up area. I am attaching a screenshot from google maps highlighting the zone indicated. Can you kindly look into the suggestion and let us know if this may be considered? | |
19/07/2022 | Anchor Bay / Popeye Village | Open / Current Issue | The dive site at Popeye village needs to be taken care of! The sides leading to the broken quay could use some anti-rockfall netting like that installed at Ghar Lapsi and other places before someone is seriously injured! Attaching an image of the result of a rockfall - imagine if it was someone's head! |
Reporting Form
Where possible, provide us with photos/videos if available.
Other related news items
Reports received include the following:
- Ladders back in in Gozo!
After a winter during which several sites suffered from ladder washouts, we’re glad to share Read More - Updated:Protest against the Minister’s balancing act: Fishing in conservation areas vs Diver Safety vs livelihood of fishermenAs of Saturday 9 March 2024, 90 protest emails were sent – join them – Read More
- — REVERSED — Halleluljah! – Navigation banned through Wreck Conservation AreasUpdate 01/12/2023 — After only two weeks, the below decision was reversed by authorities – Read More
- Updated dive site report: Handrail still missing at Reqqa Point – 3rd Reminder sentA reader’s report was received on the 18/08/2023 about a missing handrail at Reqqa Point, Read More
- Updated: Xatt l-Aħmar – New Diving Wrecks – The access ladders! — one of the ladders has since been secured —Updated 18:00 on 1/10/2023 with pictures showing one ladder was secured — read below Readers Read More
- Updated – SOLVED – Slippery steps at Ċirkewwa Marine ParkUpdate at noon on 4 October 2023 – Issue has been resolved, with MTA staff Read More
- Ghost traps… with Ghost authorities?Activist and long-time diver Raniero Borg shared this video below of several pots found during Read More
- X127 “Carolita” access under threat – representations needed!For the attention of divers & especially diving schools – the development application for Manoel Read More
- The divers are calling for attentionIn Maltese we have a saying that in a rough translation equates to: “The baby Read More
- Pending: Parking Area at Ċirkewwa Marine Park – suggestion by local diversIn May 2023, local divers, communicated to the Malta Tourism Authority and Transport Malta regarding Read More
- Northern shore dives in Gozo – beware of netsIf you’re planning a shore dive on the North side of Gozo, visiting some of Read More
- Parking issues at Cirkewwa Marine ParkIt’s a busy time at the Cirkewwa Marine Park. With tourism reaching its annual peak Read More
- Pending: Sirens and Qawra Point diving sitesUpdated 02/08/2023 The below is correspondence we sent to MTA and the St. Paul’s Bay Read More
- Stolen: Cylinders and items stolen from Valletta (HMS Maori divesite)On Tuesday 11 July 2023 four 12 litre cylinders (as per photo) were stolen off Read More
- Updated with photos: Cirkewwa Lantern – No go zone for marinersOriginally published on the 15/06/2023 – additional information on 05/07/2023 Transport Malta issued a Notice Read More
- New ladders & railing at St. Elmo PointThe below photo has been shared on the Diving Instructors social media group showing a Read More
- Żibel Shares Ghost Net Removal From Xatt l-Aħmar On World Ocean DayNGO Żibel Shared information about a Ghost Net Removal From Xatt l-Aħmar On World Ocean Read More
- Railing back at Zonqor Point (Marsaskala Wrecks)Inwadar national nature and history park has announced in a post on Facebook that the Read More
- Update: Dangerous navigation – Xatt l-AhmarUpdated with apology by boat owner It’s the beginning of summer, and as seen in Read More
- Updated: Net on SS Margit wreck (Kalkara Creek)Irrespective of laws stating that fishing nets are not to be used within the Grand Read More
- Please note: Diving season is on! (well, does it ever stop?)Finally a weekend with some decent weather! A sigh of relief from divers who may Read More
- St. Elmo Reef / Maori East entry pointOn September 11, 2022, divinginfo.mt reported to relevant authorities that: 1. The No Parking except Read More
- Xatt l- Ahmar – Kitting up benches for M/T Haephastus dive entryOn November 12, 2022, after a suggestion by a reader, communication was sent to relevant Read More
- Tug Boat Rozi marker buoy chain hitting the reefWe have been reliably informed that the above issue has been reported to the Cirkewwa Read More
- RESOLVED – Zonqor Point – Kitting up benchesUPDATE October 2022: We have been informed that benches were installed, replacing the old rusty Read More
- PARTIALLY RESOLVED: Anchor Bay – Lack of ladder, danger from falling rocksThe MTA were reminded about the lack of ladders at Anchor Bay in early July Read More
