HM Drifter Eddy

HM Drifter Eddy wreck

The HM Drifter Eddy wreck is a significant World War II site located in the waters near Malta. This British naval vessel, used during the war primarily for minesweeping, met a tragic fate on May 26, 1942. While returning to Grand Harbour after clearing mines, the Eddy struck a mine and quickly sank, approximately 1.5 km off the entrance to the Grand Harbour in Valletta. Unfortunately, eight crew members lost their lives in this incident.

The wreck of the HM Drifter Eddy, also known as Eddy, HMS Eddy, HMD Eddy, and FY12, lies upright on the sandy seabed at a depth of 56 meters and stretches about 27 meters in length. One of the prominent features of the wreck is a large hole in the hull on the starboard side close to the stern, which was caused by the mine explosion. This hole is large enough for divers to swim through into the hold. However, most of the wooden superstructure has collapsed over time, and there is a significant amount of silt inside the wreck, which can reduce visibility to zero very quickly.

Due to its depth and the silty conditions inside the wreck, diving at the HM Drifter Eddy site is suitable only for very experienced and technical divers. The site’s proximity to the busy ship traffic entering and exiting Grand Harbour also adds to the complexity and potential danger of diving here.

Constructed in Aberdeen, Scotland, and launched on August 6, 1918, for the British Royal Navy, the HM Drifter Eddy was a steel vessel measuring 27 meters in length with a beam of 6 meters. During World War I, it was involved in mine clearance duties along the south coast of England and was later transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet, where it was mostly based in Malta. After World War I, Eddy was placed on the reserve list in Malta and was recommissioned as a minesweeper drifter at the outbreak of World War II.

The historical significance of the HM Drifter Eddy, coupled with the challenging conditions of the dive, make it a unique and intriguing dive site for those with the appropriate experience and technical skills​​​​​​.