A ship which ran aground off Qawra in 2018 has been sunk off Gozo, becoming a new diving attraction.

The Hephaesteus, which ran aground in February 2018, was scuttled near Xatt l- Aħmar in Gozo, with the Tourism Ministry saying that it would present a new opportunity for divers to visit and will continue to establish the Maltese islands as an attractive destination for all those who follow the diving hobby.

Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo, Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, and officials from the Malta Tourism Authority and Environment & Resources Authority were present when the vessel was sunk on Monday afternoon.

Bartolo said that the scuttling is another confirmation of how Malta will continue to give divers a wider range of attractions than there were in the past, and that the Hephaesteus is an integral part of the vision which the government has for the country’s tourism product.

He also remarked that tourists who come to the country to dive leave a positive impact on the economy because, on average, they stay for a longer period than other tourists in Malta.

Camilleri meanwhile said that Gozo now offers 55 diving sites, and that this is another step towards the implementation of a masterplan which was unveiled last May to make this industry in Gozo more attractive and sustainable.