Zenobia Wreck Cyprus, Dive one of the best wrecks in Cyprus. Famous most famous shipwrecks in Cyprus, the Wreck Dive of (Zenovia or Xenobia ship – ferry wreck in Cyprus) one of the best wrecks zinovia also the most popular scuba diving shipwrecks, not only in Cyprus and the Mediterranean Sea, but also in the whole world. Zenobia Shipwreck is the most popular sunken wreck in Larnaca bay Cyprus.

For great diving holidays this wreck is fairly characteristic and is classified as one of the “top 10 ship wrecks” due to its short distance from the shore, it’s incredible marine life, and its considerably accessible depth for recreational diving and technical diving. As of 7th June 1980 a new shipwreck in Cyprus was created the ship Zenobia wreck Larnaca Cyprus. Now Every year its glory is celebrated with the Zenobia Wreck Week!

Zenobia Ship – Zenobia Wreck – Zenobia Ferry – Zenobia Shipwreck Diving Cyprus
Zenobia Wreck Cyprus

Zenobia Lloyd’s registration number: 7806087 Built: 1979 by Kockums, Malmo Sweden. Length overall: 172,02 meter (560 feet). Beam: 23.04 meter (75 feet). Draught: 13.01 meter (43 feet). Gross tonnage: 12,000 tones. Maximum speed 21.5 knots.

Swedish roll-on-roll-off ferry fully loaded with 108 trailers and trucks.

Dive Site: Zenobia Wreck Location: 10 minutes from Larnaca

Description: 10,000 ton ferry Length: 178 metres (584 feet)

Depth: 16 metres (52 feet) to the top of the zenobia wreck, 43 metres (141 feet) to the seabed Visibility: 20 metres (65 feet) Rating: *****

padi technical diving courses and padi sidemount diving courses available in cyprus from easy divers protaras.

About the Zenobia Wreck Cyprus.

Scuba dive very large wreck like the Zenobia dive is for divers who visit the Shipwreck Cyprus and is the number one dive spot on the Island of Cyprus. It is a large, roll-on roll-off ferry that was built to operate in the eastern Mediterranean

Diving with Joey Ridge on The Zenobia Wreck Cyprus
Zenobia Wreck Cyprus Story 1

What happened to zenobia ferry? It was during its maiden voyage from Sweden to Syria that it sank. Xenobia Shipwreck had a problem with the steering, its was not working correctly, so the Captain made the decision to pull into Larnaca Harbour. Here engineers noticed a major problem with the onboard computer system that resulted in water being pumped into the ships ballast tanks.

The Zenobia Shipwreck Cyprus was towed into deeper waters about half a mile from Larnaca so that the engineers could work on the problem, but it was listing to an angle of 45° so it was decided that there was nothing that could be done to save the ferry. The Captain requested that the Zenobia should be taken back to the harbour, but permission was never granted as a ship of that size would effectively prevent traffic from entering Larnaca Harbour.

It took two days for the ferry to sink, taking the 104 articulated lorries that it had on board with it, zenobia wreck larnaca.

The maximum depth where she went down is about 42 meters of sandy seabed. The ship is sunk on its port side, so you can reach the top of it at only 16 -17 meters of water. Both the maximum and the minimum depths that the wreck is, are ideal for both beginner divers who have just completed their open water course or for the most experienced divers, diving on air or on technical gases, technical diving and wishing penetration into the “heard of the wreck” is also possible.

The Real Story Zenobia Shipwreck Cyprus 2

Zenobia Ship Wreck Diving Cyprus, The wreck of the Zenobia off Larnaca was registered to carry up to 140 passengers. She sunk on her maiden voyage in the Mediterranean Sea while in Cyprus in 7 June 1980 off Larnaca’s fishing harbour. Zenobia Wreck is now lying on her side at 42 meters.

She has two decks, and two stern doors (1 port, 1 starboard), Shipwreck Treasure, powered by two 7 cylinder, single acting, oil-fired two strokes engines. They delivered 18,760 bhp.

She sank outside Larnaca’s fishing harbour at 2:30 am on Saturday the 7th of June 1980. Her history and the intrigue over her sinking deserve an article on their own but to give you an idea the rumors range from computer error and insurance scams to Middle Eastern security forces. The most popular theory though surrounds her computerized ballasting system, as this reportedly developed a fault while on route to Larnaca.

A maintenance team was sent abroad to correct the problem and successfully managed to correct the list to 5%. However, at 5pm on the evening of the 6th June 1980 the Captain mistakenly dismissed them, dispatching them back to land. This was later to prove to be a fatal mistake as the following day at 2am she sank, taking her cargo to her final resting place…

Zenobia Wreck GPS Position: 34, 53.5 N, 33, 39.1 E (1.500 meters from the shore).

Picture of the ZENOBIA ship before she became WRECK…

Zenobia sitting in Dry Dock Zenobia sitting in Dry Dock Sweden Zenobia sitting in Dry Dock fixing middle cargo deck Zenobia sitting showing Name Plaque Zenobia Bridge Area Zenobia Main Control Area Zenobia cafeteria Area Zenobia Cyprus Wreck Just Before Sinking

“ZENOBIA” shipwreck

The Zenobia is very popular among scuba divers because it is an imposing wreck, but the dive is interesting also for the beautiful, colorful environment, and particularly for large schools of Mediterranean Barracuda (Sphyrena sphyrena).

How to Scuba Dive the wreck of the Zenobia Shipwreck in Cyprus it is one of the most famous wrecks, not only in the Mediterranean Sea, but also in the whole world. Wrecks of cyprus is not just limited to the Zenobia, there are lots more wrecks to explore with Easy Divers. The Zenobia Wreck is fairly characterised and classified as one of the “top 10 ship wrecks” due to its short distance from the shore, its incredible marine life, and its considerably accessible depth for recreational diving.

MV Zenobia Ship was a Swedish roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry that was making its voyage to Syria, when at half a mile away from the Larnaca coast it faced problems with its computers systems. It was on the night of the 2nd of June in 1980, that the first radio contact was made about reporting that the ship was having problems. Soon after, on the 3rd of June, the ship started to create a slope towards its port side, without anything that could be done to save it. The crew was safely removed before the tragic happened.

diving shipwrecks in cyprus zenobia

The big question is still unanswered, how such a massive ship like the Zenobia could sink such easily? Many suggested that the ship was sunk due to a computer design and operation system failure that controlled the ballast buoyancy tanks. Others supported that the malfunction’ of the computer system was caused by accidentally switching-off’ the system.

This was claimed that had to do with an insurance scam for receiving the insurance company’s compensation money. Others claimed that the ship was carrying drugs and others said that some rocket missiles were in the ship and that is why the ship created such a mystery.

The Zenobia roll-on roll-off ferry cyprus

The shipwreck Zenobia was a monster ship, with a total length of 174 meters and 28 meters of wide. It displaced a total of 10,000 tons of water. At the day of her’ final journey, Zenobia was loaded with 104 trailers, trucks and lorries, fully loaded with cargo such as food, cigarettes, eggs and many others.

The maximum depth where she went down is about 42 meters of sandy seabed. This is great for technical divers and Technical Rebreather diving, sidemount diving with easy divers, we have all the gases and sorb for an unforgettable and great diving holiday.

The ship Zenobia sunk on to her port side, so you can reach the top of it at only 16 -17 meters of water. Both the maximum and the minimum depths that the wreck is, are ideal for both beginner divers who have just completed their open water course or for the most experienced divers, diving on air or on tecrec technical gases, technical diving and wishing penetration into the “heard of the wreck” is also possible.

We make special dives for those who have the experience or dive groups wish for that something of a special dive.

padi wreck diving cyprus – die the zenobia wreck

We always suggest divers do not to swim along or under the vehicles that can be found hanging still to the wreck, as they can weight more than 40 tonnes and are held by chains that are constantly losing their strength. All the windows of the main super structure have been broken for some years now.

Underwater Shipwrecks, Dive accidents over the years have added much to diver safety, now divers have second thoughts about attempting a penetration without proper training or with professional experienced guides. Much of the wrecks internal parts have collapsed and the rust makes visibility closing to zero.

Please dive with Joey Ridge a very experienced technical diver  or reputable dive company when your planning zenobia wreck dives
The zenobia wreck can be better be explored with Nitrox for free if certified, because it will allow you more bottom time, thus reducing your decompression stops. If you happen to dive on air, always make sure you use correctly the dive tables, or follow your dive computer instruction for a safe dive. Technical Divers should follow the PRE-Planned dive tables and timing device and use use their dive computers for backup and conservatism.

You must always have in mind that your compass will not work close to metal objects (such as the wreck) and also be careful of disorientation because the whole thing is at an angle of 90 degrees.

The Zenobia, a Swedish roll -on roll -off ferry. In Cyprus

Diving centres in Cyprus like a Padi 5 Star Instructor Development Centre , have a special Tribute the Famous Shipwrecks Zenobia that sank, for its Sad reasons and its blessing of a good fortune thus she had the unfortunate end to her life here in Cyprus. The whole diving industry in Cyprus was and has developed and expanded basically on this famous wreck, Zenobia wreck in Larnaca bay Cyprus.

It is always best to seek local advice before Scuba Diving on the Ship Wrecks Zenobia alone. Weather conditions, currents, boat trips, and which route to follow when underwater. Always follow the local dive guides or instructors, because they have knowledge and have dived the Zenobia shipwreck hundreds of times. Spare drop tanks should always be hanging from the boat for both required and precautionary safety decompression stops. Our large boat that Easy Divers uses, always have oxygen tanks on-board for emergency situations.

Zenobia wreck was a monster size ship, with a total length of 174 meters and 28 meters of wide. It displaced a total of 10,000 tons of water. At the day of her’ final journey, Zenobia was loaded with 104 trailers, trucks and lorries, fully loaded with cargo such as food, cigarettes, eggs and many others.

Joey Ridge is proud to be a Padi Course Director working with Padi 5 Star Instructor Development Centre and PADI TecRec Centre that can provide all your needs for this special wreck dives and also guidance for a unique excursion.should you wish to just make a few quick dives on the Zenobia Ship Wreck Diving Cyprus or make special penetration dives through the cargo decks, then we can provide it all.

For diving the Zenobia shipwreck in Cyprus we have the best diving prices in the area of Ayia Napa and Protaras. You can combine this Zenobia wreck dive with the PADI Wreck Diver speciality, Nitrox courses, Padi TecRec or Padi Distinctive Sidemount diver Courses or even the basic courses of the Padi Advanced Courses and the Padi Master Diver courses.

Zenobia Ship Diving Map
Zenobia wreck map dive cyprus

One of the many other things that will make this dive an unforgettable dive is the marine life found on the wreck. Both around and inside the wreck, you can see a variety of different species of fish from giant groupers, to giant passing tuna fish, local barracuda, kingfish, jacks, trigger fish, moray-eels, stingrays, turtles and many others.

The wreck attracts thousands of divers from all over the world, just to see the pristine wreck of the Zenobia wreck dive. It also amazing that you see it from the aeroplane when you are landing to the Larnaca airport

If you are really interested for a serious wreck dive, then Zenobia is a MUST DIVE.

Zenobia wreck Larnaca, diving in protaras with Joey Ridge Cyprus. There is other great wrecks in Cyprus too!

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Dive the Zenobia Wreck Cyprus – Zenobia Shipwreck Cyprus | Zenobia Ferry Wreck