Le Polynesien wreck

Le Polynesien wreck (Also known as: SS Polynesien, The Polynesian, Poly, Tal-Platti, Plate Ship)
Location : Malta, Marsaskala. (35.8576° N 14.6051° E)
As of 1st May 2019 SS Polynesien is managed Heritage Malta
Dive site exposed to strong currents

General characteristics of the ship:

Launched: 1890
Length: 152,5 m.

Polynesien was a Risbec class ocean liner. At the beginning of World War I Polynesien was requisitioned by the French authorities and armed as a troop transport with bow and stern guns.
Sunk on 10 August 1918 – was torpedoed by the German submarine SM UC-22. It was hit on the port side near the engine room and sank within half an hour with the loss of almost twenty lives.
The bow deck structures, gun and anchor on the forward deck are clearly visible, and motorcycle tires are in the cargo hold. The middle section is the engine room, heavily damaged by a torpedo strike.
The stern, deck gun and propeller are in almost perfect condition. Passenger areas can be found below deck, bed frames and tubs can be seen. Around the sunken ship there were previously a lot of ceramic and glass products, porcelain. Unfortunately, many items were looted.

Historical points and technical characteristic of the ship:

Owner: Messageries Maritimes, Marseille
Builder: Messageries Maritimes, La Ciotat
Installed power: 818 nhp
Propulsion: 1 x 3 cylinder triple expansion steam engine 12 x Belleville boilers Single shaft 1 x screw.
Sail plan: 3-masted barque rigged
Speed: 17.5 kn (20.1 mph.)