P31

Patrol Boat P31, also known as Pasewalk, is a popular wreck dive site located on the west coast of Comino, halfway between Lantern Point and Cominotto. The wreck, which was deliberately scuttled in 2009 as a diving attraction and artificial reef, is 52 meters in length and sits almost upright on white sand, with a slight list to the portside. The depth ranges from 18 meters at the stern to 20 meters under the bow, making it suitable for all levels of certified divers. The top part of the wreck is only 7 meters deep from the surface, making it visible even to snorkelers. The wreck is easy to penetrate, with many areas left open for divers to swim through from the stern to the bow.

P31 was built in East Germany in 1968-69 for the German navy and was later sold to Malta in 1992. It served as a patrol boat for the Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta until it was decommissioned in 2004. Before being scuttled, all hazards were removed or sealed off to ensure the safety of divers and the environment. The wreck now lies about 25 meters from the buoy towards Alex’s Cave, having moved during storms over the winter of 2010-2011. This dive site is one of the few shallow wreck dives in Malta, suitable for PADI OWD or equivalent.