Olympia Maru

War grave: Japanese freighter sunk in the 24 Sep 1944 raid, lying upright near Tangat Island with the deck at about 18–24 m and the bottom at 25–30 m. Its holds are easy to enter, which makes it a common first wreck penetration dive. Batfish, crocodilefish and stonefish rest on the structure.

Facts

• Region: Coron Bay & Busuanga – Palawan
• Area: Tangat & Lusong
• Depth: 18–30 m
• Level: intermediate
• Current: low
• Type: wreck
• Coordinates: 11.97152, 120.06178 (approximate)
• Highlights: freighter, batfish, giant puffer, crocodilefish, stonefish, cargo holds
• Permit: Wreck dives are done with a Coron dive operator, who collects the local/marine-park fees as part of the package (Pirates Diving Center states marine park and entry fees are included in its listed prices; the amounts and whether a separate municipal tourism fee applies were not verified from an official source). Taking anything from the wrecks is not allowed.
• Issuer / contact: Your Coron dive operator (collects local fees)
• Unverified: Identity is disputed: sources variously call this wreck Olympia Maru, Ekkai Maru or Taiei Maru; position and depth differ slightly between sources.
• Tips: Experienced Open Water/Advanced; Wreck Diver for penetration. Watch for stonefish on the deck. Wrecks are war graves: look, photograph, take nothing. Remaining munitions: do not touch.

Sources

• https://piratescoron.com/dive-sites/
• https://philippinesislandhopping.com/blog/shipwreck-diving-in-coron/
• https://www.starfish.ch/dive/print/Sangat-print.html
• https://scubatechphilippines.com/scuba_blog/the-shipwrecks-of-coron-wreck-diving-philippines/
• https://californiadiver.com/attack-on-coron-bay-exploring-world-war-ii-shipwrecks-in-the-philippines-518/