Francesca da Rimini

An Italian cargo ship built in 1942 that, according to local reports, was attacked by fighter-bombers off the island of Kaprije in 1944 while carrying ammunition; part of the cargo exploded and she sank. Her identity is still debated. Divers descend a line in blue water to the deck at about 40 m; the bow is around 52 m, with a well-preserved anti-aircraft gun and a storeroom of shells. The wreck is covered in sponges and soft corals and attracts big fish.

Facts

• Region: Adriatic – Dalmatia
• Area: Šibenik & Rogoznica
• Depth: 40–54 m
• Level: advanced
• Current: low
• Type: wreck
• Coordinates: 43.72198, 15.67468 (approximate)
• Highlights: WWII ammunition ship, anti-aircraft gun on deck, sponges and soft corals, moray eel
• Permit: Protected cultural good: may only be dived with a dive centre holding a Ministry of Culture and Media permit for this zone under the 2024–2029 underwater-activities programme; individual diving is not allowed and groups are limited to 15 divers per guide. Ammunition and weapons must not be touched. Check current rules. (Source: Ministry of Culture programme 2024–2029)
• Issuer / contact: Ministry of Culture and Media of Croatia (Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage / competent conservation department)
  • Phone: +385 1 4866 200
  • Website: https://www.gov.hr/hr/ronjenje-na-kulturnim-dobrima/1556
• Tips: Protected wreck, dived only by licensed centres; usually a decompression dive.

Sources

• https://www.wannadive.net/spot/Europe/Croatia/Central_adriatic/Francesca_da_Rimini/index.html
• https://www.padi.com/dive-site/croatia/francesca-da-rimini/
• https://min-kulture.gov.hr/program-obavljanja-podvodnih-aktivnosti-u-unutarnjim-morskim-vodama-i-teritorijalnom-moru-republike-hrvatske-u-podrucjima-gdje-se-nalazi-kulturno-dobro-za-2024-2029-godinu/25860
• https://www.gov.hr/hr/ronjenje-na-kulturnim-dobrima/1556