My TOP 10 DIVES of 2025 | Cave Diving, Wreck Diving & Exploration | DiveSAGA Christmas Special โจ At 68 meters / 223 feet underwater, a World War II German Schnellboot lies frozen in time with a live torpedo still inside.
In this episode of DiveSAGA, I descend deep into the Mediterranean Sea off Malta to explore the wreck of Schnellboot S-31, a feared Nazi fast attack craft once used to lay mines and launch torpedo attacks against Allied shipping during World War II.
This is not just a wreck dive, itโs a journey into underwater warfare history, unexploded ordnance, and one of the most secretive naval battlefields of the Second World War.
โ The Schnellboot S-31 - Nazi Fast Attack Craft
The Schnellboot (known to the Allies as the E-Boat) was one of the most lethal weapons of the Kriegsmarine. Fast, low-profile, and heavily armed, these boats could strike quickly with torpedoes and naval mines, then disappear into the night.
Ironically, S-31 was sunk by one of its own mines, detonating near the engine room and splitting the wreck almost in two. Today, its metal structure still remains, while the wooden elements have completely vanished, leaving behind a chilling silhouette of war.
And yes: one of its 7.2-meter (23-foot), 280 kg torpedoes is still there. Unexploded.
๐คฟ A Deep Technical Trimix Wreck Dive
This dive required:
โข Trimix 18/35 bottom gas
โข 50% and 80% Nitrox decompression gases
โข DPVs (underwater scooters) due to current
โข A 68m / 223ft decompression profile
This is serious technical diving, conducted with full permits from Underwater Heritage Malta, who strictly protect this site as a war grave.
โ ๏ธ Extreme caution is required due to the presence of unexploded WWII ordnance.
๐ณ๏ธ Maltaโs Secret Underground War Rooms
Above the wreck, 40 meters beneath Valletta, lies another battlefield โ Maltaโs underground command center.
Hidden beneath the capital city, Allied intelligence officers once tracked incoming Nazi bombers, calculated flight paths by hand, and coordinated defensive operations โ all without computers. These underground bunkers later played a crucial role in Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily that helped knock Italy out of the Axis powers.
Malta wasnโt just an island โ it became a rock-solid aircraft carrier, carved straight into limestone.
โ Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:43 The City of Valletta
01:57 Preparing for a Technical Dive
03:22 Meet the Dive and Photo Team
04:24 Descending to the Schnellboot S-31
06:24 The War Rooms under Valletta
07:26 The Wreck of the Schnellboot
08:15 Torpedoes!
10:22 Decompression and Closing Thoughts
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About Dive SAGA - Scuba diving.
Welcome to Dive SAGA, your destination for world-class scuba diving adventures and education. Led by award-winning SCUBA instructor trainer Nick Derutter, this channel explores the depths of our planet through the lens of history, science, and travel. From cave diving, technical and wreck diving to ice diving and more, Dive SAGA is built for passionate divers.
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๐ Related Phrases:
WWII wreck dive, Schnellboot S-31, Nazi torpedo boat, German E-boat wreck, Malta wreck diving, technical diving trimix, deep wreck diving, unexploded torpedo underwater, Kriegsmarine wreck, World War 2 underwater archaeology, Valletta war tunnels, underwater history documentary, diveSAGA
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