Wreck Dive, St Elmo's Bay, Valletta, Malta
The HMS Māori was a 1,870-ton Tribal Class Destroyer built in Govan, Scotland in 1937.
She primarily took part in escort missions, protecting cargo ships and convoys during WWII. Up until 1940 she patrolled the North Sea and took part in the Norwegian campaign, before sailing to Iceland in search of German warships. In 1941, she was directly involved in the hunting and eventual sinking of the German flagship Bismarck, and rescued some survivors from the sinking ship.
On 12th February 1942, she was moored at the entrance to Dockyard Creek in the Grand Harbour of Valletta, when a parachute flare dropped by an enemy aircraft became trapped in her foremast. Soon after, the illuminated destroyer received a direct hit in her engine room, with the loss of one of her crew. She was quickly abandoned and thereafter her aft magazine exploded.
The HMS Māori sank stern-first, causing the bow to rise, and slowly filled with water, blocking the entrance to Dockyard Creek. Her two forward guns were removed and re-mounted at Fort Ricasoli as shore battery guns during the Second World War. In 1945, in order to re-open the berth, she was cut into two sections. The bow was floated and towed to St Elmo's Bay, where she now rests. Her aft section was unfortunately abandoned during the tow and is lost in deeper water.
Over the years the wreck has taken some hard hits from the weather. A storm in early 2019 caused tremendous damage, and subsequent rough seas have caused the wreck to collapse further. In 2025, a large side panel fell from the ship, allowing excellent views inside without the need for penetration , which is largely considered unsafe due to the fragility of the wreck.
The wreck lies on a sandy bottom with a maximum depth of 15m. The shallowest section reaches 8m.
The bridge
The bridge sits proudly on top of the wreck and offers divers the opportunity to see an abundance of marine life and underwater fauna. If you are into photography, make sure you spend some time here.
The gun turrets
Although the large cannons were removed, their bases remain as large (~3m diameter) cylindrical structures. Defined cogs can be observed around the outside, which were used to rotate and aim the cannons, and the more intact of the two can actually be swum underneath.
Film equipment
The crew of the Māori included filmmakers tasked with creating propaganda to document the war effort. The equipment was sunk along with the ship and can still be found on the wreck as a mass of wires and electrical equipment. Most striking is the bundle of film ribbon, which at first glance looks like sea grass, but on closer inspection, the small perfectly-formed square perforations can be found along the edges.
Marine life
Due to the shallow depth, there is an abundance of marine life to look out for. The sandy white bottom is the perfect place to find cuttlefish, flying gurnards, flatfish, and stingrays. If you are extremely lucky, the occasional seahorse can even be found here.
Nudibranchs and moray eels can be found on the wreck itself. The wreck is covered with green weed and tube worms, with shoals of salema, sea bream, and cardinalfish swimming around the upper structure. The many cracks and crevices offer sanctuary to octopuses, scorpionfish, and hermit crabs.
Experience needed
You must be certified to dive to a depth of 12 metres to dive this site. We would require a minimum of Scuba Diver certification. Open Water certification is recommended to fully explore around the bottom of the wreck and the marine life on the sand.
Dive site specification: HMS Māori
- Location: St Elmo's Bay, Valletta, Malta
- Type of dive: Shore Dive
- Max depth: 15m
- Minimum certification: PADI Scuba Diver
- Recommended: PADI Open Water Diver