Lockheed P2V Neptune

Lockheed P2V Neptune Wreck, Bahar-Ic-Cahaq, Malta

Depth: 30m (avg), 32m (max) 

Level: Advanced Open Water Divers or equivalent 

Overview:

The Lockheed P2V Neptune wreck is a unique aircraft dive site situated approximately 500 meters offshore from Bahar-Ic-Cahaq, on Malta’s northeast coast. Resting at a depth of 32m on a seabed of sand and Posidonia seagrass meadows, this dive offers a rare opportunity to explore an aviation relic transformed into an artificial reef. Unlike other aircraft wrecks, the Neptune wreck was deliberately scuttled in the late 1950s for use in a movie and remained largely undiscovered until 2015.

History & Background:

• Service History: The Lockheed P2V Neptune (P-2) was a U.S. built maritime patrol aircraft and submarine hunter, widely used during the Cold War. The Royal Air Force (RAF) operated a modified version known as the Neptune MR.1, based on the P2V-5 model. The aircraft, serial number WX547, was involved in an accident at Luqa Airport on 13 January 1956. During a routine landing, its undercarriage collapsed, causing irreparable damage. The RAF salvaged all reusable parts, and in May 1957, the remaining fuselage was sold for use in film production.

• Scuttling: After being stripped of all useful components, the aircraft was deliberately sunk off Malta’s coast in 1958 to serve as an underwater set for the war film The Silent Enemy, which depicted British underwater operations in Gibraltar during World War II. Over the decades, the site remained largely forgotten until it was rediscovered by divers in 2015, now serving as an intriguing wreck dive site for underwater exploration.

Wreck Details:

• Dimensions: This twin-engine aircraft measured approximately 24 meters in length with a 30 meter wingspan.
• Depth: The wreck lies at a maximum depth of 32m, making it accessible to advanced recreational divers.
• Position: The aircraft rests on a sandy seabed, with some sections partially buried in Posidonia seagrass meadows.

Dive Highlights:

• Accessibility: The Lockheed Neptune wreck is a boat dive, situated approximately 500 meters offshore from Bahar-Ic-Cahaq. Due to its moderate depth, it is suitable for Advanced Open Water divers with proper experience in wreck and deep diving.
• Wreck Features: The wreck consists primarily of the fuselage, wing stubs, and engine covers, while the remaining sections of the wings are nearby, partially buried in the sand.
• Marine Life: Schools of damselfish, cardinalfish, and wrasses are frequently seen swimming around the fuselage, while scorpionfish, moray eels, and octopuses hide in the wreckage and sand-covered sections. Cuttlefish and nudibranchs can often be spotted along the structure, along with fireworms, sea urchins, and red sponges, which have colonized parts of the wreck. The sandy seabed surrounding the aircraft occasionally attracts stingrays, flounders, and burrowing sand eels, while barracudas and amberjacks sometimes pass through the area, especially in deeper sections.

Why Visit?

The Lockheed P2V Neptune wreck offers divers a historical, cinematic, and ecological experience in a single dive. As an aircraft wreck with a unique connection to WWII-era aviation, Cold War operations, and classic film history, it presents an exciting alternative to Malta’s many shipwrecks. Whether exploring its scattered remains or simply enjoying the marine life surrounding the site, this dive provides a fascinating look into the past beneath the waves.