Malakoff (wreck)
The Malakoff was a French cargo steamer on the Marseille–Algeria route that struck the Gobernadoras rocks in fog on 2 January 1929 and sank within about seven minutes. It lies upright on sand about 820 m off the south-west coast between Es Talaier and Cala Turqueta, with the deck at about 32 m and the bottom at about 40 m (other sources say 30–38 m). Salvage work in the 1950s removed the superstructure, but the lower hull and cargo of cement sacks remain; the wreck is now a fully colonised artificial reef about 105 m long with barracuda, conger eels, groupers and the occasional triggerfish. Position from the PADI dive-site entry.
Facts
- Region: Spain – Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera
- Area: Menorca
- Depth: 32–40 m
- Level: advanced
- Current: moderate
- Type: wreck
- Coordinates: 39.91691, 3.91225
- Highlights: French steamer sunk in 1929, upright on sand, about 105–110 m long, barracuda, conger and groupers
- Tips: Advanced: about 100 logged dives recommended and decompression stops likely. Dived from Ciutadella and Cala'n Bosch centres.