Sunken ferry Zenobia Cyprus. Diving on the wreck of the Zenobia

The island of Cyprus is located in the Mediterranean Sea. Clean water, specific bottom topography, species diversity of fish and sea animals, sunken and sunken ships and statues especially for divers. Cyprus has dive sites suitable for beginners and places where only experienced recreational and professional divers dive.
The diving season in Cyprus lasts from May to November, the best time for active diving is from July to September. In winter the water temperature is 16 degrees, in summer it warms up to 29.
Diving center RuDIVE offers diving tours to Cyprus, which include diving at popular diving sites.

Popular diving spots in Cyprus

Diving in Cyprus is offered from a boat and from the shore. The peculiarity of diving in Cyprus is that the dive sites are located close to each other and are accessible from any place where active travelers stop to rest. Therefore, choose places to dive based on your level of diving training.

• Cape Greco - six dive sites. Popular caves, rivers, sea animals in Cyprus;
• Protaras, Ayia Napa - six to seven diving sites. Underwater grottoes, caves, marine fauna;
• Larnaca - seven sites. Wrecks, including the ferry "Zenobia";
• Limassol - ten diving spots. Caves, grottoes, fish, sea animals and two or three rivers;
• Paphos - eight dive sites with a traditional Cyprus set: underwater caves, reef walls, tunnels, rivers;
• Latchi - twelve dive sites are offered, at one of which it is possible to encounter sea turtles;
• Polis - six dive sites. Vertical walls, sunken objects, reefs with marine life.

The “calling card” of diving in Cyprus is the Zenobia wreck.

Cape Greco

A popular diving spot in Cyprus, thanks to good visibility and underwater caves, where beginners, experienced amateur divers, and professionals dive.

• Canyon at Cape Greco. Diving begins from the shore, passes along underwater rock walls, then divers swim to the sandy bottom. There are octopuses, moray eels, and stingrays. The dive is available to experienced divers, depth 17-30 meters.
• Rack "Liberty". The ship, specially sunk for divers, lies on a sandy bottom. Due to the depth of 27 m, diving the wreck is accessible to recreational divers with a minimum AOWD level. Delivery to the diving site by boat.
• Konnos Bay. A dive site that offers diving for beginners and experienced divers. Depth 40 meters, diving is available from the shore or from a boat. Underwater boulders, reef walls, sea grass-covered clearings. There are groupers, starfish, moray eels, young barracudas, and other species of fish. Experienced and technical divers can descend the steep slope to 40m depth.
• Caves. The most popular diving spot in Cyprus. A labyrinth of underwater caves, penetrated by rays of light penetrating through the cracks, numerous entrances and exits. The maximum depth is 12 meters, entry into the water is from the shore, so the caves are accessible to beginners. They are home to soldier fish, chromis, flutes, groupers, and nudibranchs. In June-July tuna come here. During night diving in the caves you encounter an octopus.

The village of Protaras and the city of Ayia Napa

Protaras and Ayia Napa are nearby, so there is no strict division between them, and the diving sites are suitable for those who like swimming in tunnels and caves.

• Green Bay. Green Bay is located between Ayia Napa and Protaras, diving is accessible from the shore. The place is suitable for children's diving, for beginners, for a test dive for experienced divers - check dive. The maximum depth is 11 m. While swimming, you can see schools of baited fish, and sometimes turtles swim. The underwater "antique" statues are reminiscent of the ancient history of Cyprus and have become a popular spot for divers to take underwater photographs.
• Fishing vessel "Nemesis III" on Protaras. The “young” wreck is flooded specifically for diving, depth 24 m. Accessible to advanced divers, diving is accessible from a boat.
• The sunken boat "Kerynia". In Ayia Napa, at a depth of 20 meters, lies a wreck - a police boat, sunk in 2015 off the coast to create an artificial reef. Available for beginner divers.

Larnaca city

• The sunken ferry Zenobia. The Swedish ferry is one of the top ten popular wrecks. First of all, divers go to Cyprus for diving on Zenobia. Sank on June 7, 1980 near Larnaca Bay. Along with the ferry, cargo sank - trucks, army equipment, Lego toys, etc. "Zenobia" lies at a depth of 17-42 meters. The ferry is in good condition, it has become an artificial reef and is inhabited by marine life. Amateur divers inspect it from the outside, professional deep divers swim inside. In the second hold there is a Zhiguli “kopek” car. Penetrations into the second hold and engine room are decompression.
• The sunken ship "Alexandria". A small wooden fishing boat sank several years ago and lies at a depth of 25-30 meters. One dive is enough to actively examine it. Tuna, barracuda, and other types of fish come here. The dive is accessible from a boat; the recommended diving level is Advanced Open Water Diver + Enriched Air Diver.
• Other diving sites. There are other diving spots marked in the Larnaca area. For beginners who have just started scuba diving or divers who have little diving experience, dive sites are available: octopus reef, British Jetty armored personnel carrier, Sheep Dip, a place rich in marine life. The reefs of Cape Pyla at Cape Pyla, accessible from the shore, can be offered to beginner amateur divers and experienced divers. For professionals and technical divers, we recommend the cruiser “Cricket” that sank at 33 meters depth and diving on the underwater mushroom rock Mushrooms Rock at 50 meters, inhabited by marine life.

Limassol city

A place for active wreck diving enthusiasts. The wrecks lie at different depths, so some are accessible to beginners, for example, the British “Cooper” at 9 meters deep, Three Star at 7 meters. Others are only recommended for experienced divers, such as the vertically sunken yacht Diana. Here, among the wrecks, are dive sites inhabited by fish and animals: a complex of caverns and caves at 14 meters, an arch at 20 meters, etc.

Estimated prices for diving in Cyprus

• two dives in one day - from 87 euros;
• night dive - from 45 euros;
• five days of diving, two dives per day - from 380 euros.

Indicative program

1 day
Departure from Moscow airport Sheremetyevo, flight SU-2070 Aeroflot airline, at 20:00, arrival in Larnaca at 23:50. Meeting at the airport with the host, transfer to the selected hotel.

Day 2
In the morning, arrival at the dive center, collecting equipment, filling out documents. Departure to Cape Greco: diving in the Green Bay area and grottoes.

Green Bay is a convenient place for test dives (check dives), the maximum depth is 11 meters.

3-6 day
Diving on the Zenobia wreck.

The Swedish ferry is one of the top ten wrecks of interest to divers. The length of the ferry is 172 m, width 23.4 m. Due to technical faults, the ferry sank on June 7, 1980 in the Larnaca Bay area during its first trip to Syria. In order not to interfere with shipping, it, not yet sunken but already filling with water, was towed 1.5 kilometers from the shore. Along with the ferry, its cargo sank - 108 trucks, electrical appliances, army equipment, Lego toys, food and more. Zenobia lies at a depth of 17-42 meters. The ferry is in excellent condition and is a fascinating sight both for those who want to swim outside and for technical divers entering the captain's bridge, restaurant, upper loading deck, wardroom, etc. Currently, the ferry is an artificial reef inhabited a variety of marine life.

Day 7
Free day to go on a sightseeing tour of the island.

Day 8
Transfer to the airport. check-in SU-2075 Larnaca - Moscow, departure at 19:20. Arrival in Moscow, Sheremetyevo, at 11:05 p.m.

The trip route and dive program are approximate and can be changed by the organizers depending on weather conditions and in the interests of the safety of travel participants.

Estimated cost of the tour

Accommodation at the San Remo 2* hotel:

• ½ DBL - 1050 euros
• Single occupancy - 1215 euros

​Accommodation at the Lardos 4* hotel:

• ½ DBL - 1335 euros
• Single occupancy - 1560 euros

​Accommodation at the Golden Bay 5* hotel:

• ½ DBL - 1375 euros
• Single occupancy - 1675 euros

Included in cost:

• air flight Moscow - Larnaca - Moscow, Aeroflot, economy class*;
• accommodation in a hotel of the selected category for 7 nights, meals breakfast, dinner;
• group transfer airport - hotel - airport.

*Package price may vary depending on seat availability and airline fares

The price does not include:

• diving program: 5 days of 2 recreational dives (rental of cargo, cylinders, RuDIVE instructor services) - 480 euros. It is possible to organize technical dives;
• nitrox, trimix, equipment rental;
• tips;
• island tour;
• visa support - 40 euros;
• insurance policy “Medicine + diving”, up to 20 days - 40 euros.

In the waters of Larnaca there is a sunken ship “MS Zenobia” - in order to get on the ship, inspect it from the inside and swim along its corridors, divers from other continents travel to Cyprus. MS Zenobia lies at a depth of 42 meters (138 feet).

The ship left the Kockums Varv AB shipyard in Sweden at the end of 1979 and sank near Larnaca in June 1980 - notably, this was the Zenobia's maiden voyage. A cargo ship with a displacement of 10,000 tons, a length of 178 meters and a width of 28 meters set out on its maiden voyage at the end of May 1980 from the Swedish port of Malmo, where it was not destined to return. The ship was heading to the Syrian port of Tartus. Problems with the tightness of the lower deck were discovered already on the way and on June 5 the ship moored in the port of Larnaca. A day later, the ship left the port and anchored 1.5-2 km from the coast. In the early morning of June 7 at about 2.30 the ship sank. On board were new trucks and cars, which Zenobia carried with it to the bottom of the sea. The value of the cargo was approximately £200 million. Fortunately, the crew members were successfully evacuated in advance and no one was injured.

Some time after this incident, the wreck became a favorite dive site for divers and is currently ranked among the top ten dive sites worldwide.

On Thursday, March 13, 2014, the third accident related to Zenobia occurred - a 57-year-old tourist from the UK died. As it became known, the man lost consciousness during the dive. Friends brought him to shore, but they were unable to revive him. The diver's body was transported to Larnaca Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. NCIS conducted an inspection of the scene - the death may have occurred as a result of an accident. The exact cause of death will be established during a post-mortem examination, but, according to the preliminary conclusion, death was due to asphyxia due to an underlying heart attack.

Zenobia's previous victim was Catherine Vicard, also a British citizen. She dived the Zenobia sinking site with a group of divers in the summer of 2010, this was her third dive.

In 2003, another Briton, Dean Andrew Herne, drowned in the same place. He, like Catherine Vicard, lost his bearings when he found himself inside the sunken ship, panicked, and took off his oxygen mask and other equipment, trying to get out of the belly of the Zenobia.

Diving on the Zenobia is a significant source of income for numerous diving centers that organize excursions for divers coming to Cyprus from all over the world. The wreck is a fascinating dive site for divers of all levels. One side of Zenobia is relatively shallow - about 16 meters from the surface of the water - and is suitable for beginner divers. The inner deck of the ship, as well as the living quarters for the crew and the cargo compartment, are extremely interesting, but at the same time extremely dangerous places that require attention, experience and great dexterity. The pleasure of staying there is available only to very experienced divers under the supervision of instructors. But even this, as we know, cannot guarantee the safety of the dive. A person who risks challenging the elements and climbing inside a sunken ship lying at great depths must be aware of the risk and rely on his own strength and knowledge: in the event of unforeseen circumstances, help may simply not be available in time, because in the event of problems with oxygen, the bill goes to minutes and even seconds.

However, MS Zenobia continues to be a magnet for adventure lovers from all over the world.

An attraction that stands out from the row of centuries-old churches and fortresses is the popular ship Zenobia.

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An attraction that stands out from the row of centuries-old churches and fortresses is the popular ship Zenobia. This wreck is of interest to divers from all over the world. The 170-meter cargo ship lies off the coast of Larnaca at a depth of more than 40 m. Zenobia found its last refuge in 1980, halfway between Syria and Greece.

Today the sunken ship is called the “Mediterranean Titanic.” The appearance of the ship is truly impressive. Brave divers have the opportunity to explore it completely, including the engine room, corridors and holds. Since the Zenobia sank with its cargo (numerous trucks), they also became an object for inspection.

In Cyprus, dive companies offer different options for visiting Zenobia. But those who have not yet decided to swim to serious depths can inspect the ship on the surface with a mask and snorkel - excellent visibility on clear days allows you to do this without problems.

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Wreck Zenobia

One and a half kilometers from the coast at a depth of 42 meters lies the sunken cargo ship "Zenobia", 172 meters long.

This Swedish vessel was equipped with the latest technology and was built in Sweden in 1979. Then, on the way from Syria to Greece, in June 1980, on its first voyage the ship arrived in Larnaca and it was here that it tilted and sank.

Most likely cause The sinking of the ship is called a failure in the ship's computer balancing system, as a result of which it tilted and sank along with all its cargo. And there was a lot of cargo there, about a hundred trucks, 40-ton trucks with cargo. All the crew was evacuated before the flooding, so no one was injured.

And now “Zenobia” is one of the most interesting diving objects in the world, it’s not for nothing that called the Titanic of the Mediterranean. Divers have the opportunity see the whole ship including holds, corridors and engine rooms. And the trucks that remained attached to the ship are hanging from chains. The majestic appearance of the ship is impressive. And those who have not yet decided to go scuba diving can simply snorkel on the surface, look at the ship from a distance. On good days water transparency up to 35 meters!

Cyprus in particular its southern coast is known for the presence of a large number of wrecks, both prehistoric and relatively modern. It is enough to choose and buy a tour to Cyprus in order to verify the truth of the statement about the Swedish ferry Zenobia’s first place among the dive sites of Cyprus (the ferry is also among the ten best wrecks in the world).

Being the main underwater attraction of Cyprus, Zenobia can also lay claim to the title of one of the least gloomy wrecks in the world - there were no casualties in the shipwreck , the team was evacuated in time.

The size of the ship is amazing, the ocean ferry “Zenobia” - the ship is not just huge, just for a superficial inspection it will take about six dives. Many divers take the advanced open water diver course on this ship. The ship, lying at accessible recreational depths in the harbor of Larnaca, one and a half kilometers from the coast, seems to be designed for this.

The starboard side of the ferry is 16-18 meters from the surface, and the bottom under the left side is already 42.

Mediterranean Titanic - the comparative name of Zenobia, quite often repeated by divers, both ships sank on the first voyage, although, unlike the Titanic, there were no casualties on board Zenobia.

The Swedish ferry Zenobia departed in June 1980. on its first voyage from Greece to Syria at that time it was equipped with the latest science and technology. The main cargo on board carried by the ferry is about a hundred 40-ton trucks. Some time after leaving the area of ​​the Greek islands, the ferry began to list to the left side; problems arose due to a malfunction of the on-board computer responsible for the distribution of water in the ballast compartments. The problem was eliminated and did not arise until arriving at Larnaca harbor.

At the port of Larnaca Already at the quay wall, the roll to the left resumed; besides, the multi-ton trucks secured with chains, having shifted, only intensified the problem. Attempts to somehow change the situation did not lead to success, and even the automation system began to fill part of the holds with water, and soon when the list reached 45 degrees, it was decided to evacuate the crew and tow the ferry away from the shore to a deeper place so that Zenobia would not block the entrance and did not paralyze the work of the port of Larnaca.

Zenobia did not sink immediately , observers took photographs for a long time against the backdrop of the drowning giant. The ferry sank to the bottom (42 m) on the left side, the distance from the starboard side to the surface is 16-18 meters, the screws are 27-36 m. In good, clear weather, from the plane you can see Zenobia lying under water in Larnaca Bay.

There are many blank spots in this story; according to the official version, the ferry sank as a result of a malfunction of the balance distribution computer, but there were also versions of sabotage in order to obtain insurance for the owners of the ferry, and there was also a version of involvement in the death of the Middle Eastern security services. At least the official computer crash version looks pretty convincing.

Availability , a large number of different rooms and compartments, internal passages encourage divers to dive into this underwater object again and again, each time discovering something new. The cargo carried by the ferry, including 108 trucks, remained on the ship at the time of the disaster. The ferry's deck is almost perpendicular to the bottom, but many trucks still remain chained to it with all their cargo, while others are hanging on chains or scattered on the seabed.

A superficial inspection of the bottom around the ferry where various cargo is scattered can take more than one dive given the size of the ship, although some are immediately interested in the internal compartments. The captain's bridge, radio room, restaurant room, cargo decks, various corridors and passages, the ship has a large number of rooms for various purposes.

And of course, here you can find a large number of marine inhabitants, since over time Zenobia turns into a huge man-made reef.

Don't forget that the labyrinthine interior of a ship requires careful planning of your dives. It is also necessary to be careful around “chained” trucks; prolonged exposure to salt water weakens fasteners and chains. For a more detailed examination of the ship at medium depths, it is better to use nitrox, thereby increasing the no-decompression time at the bottom.

The best time to dive on the Zenobia ferry is from May to October. , but if you have dry suits, the ferry is available almost all year round. Visibility in the ferry area is approximately 35 meters.

General information, characteristics of the Swedish Ferry Zenobia:

A RORO class ferry - Roll-on/roll-of - means that the main cargo - cars, trailers or wagons - are not loaded by cranes but rolled up independently.

Lloyd's registration number 7806087

Built in 1979 by Kockums, Sweden

Total length: 172.02 meters

Width: 23.04

Draft: 13.01m

Displacement: 12,000 tons

Engine power: 18760l/s

Maximum speed: 21.5 knots

P.S. Many vacationers are unable to dive due to health or other reasons. For them, in Larnaca, a 50-minute excursion to the Swedish ferry Zenobia is organized on the Sadko boat (a tourist submarine with portholes).