The MV Imperial Eagle

The Imperial Eagle was a former ferry boat between Malta and Gozo. She was 45 m long with 9.2 m beam. The wreck sits perfectly upright on sandy seabed at depth of 42m. The deck is 32 m deep and the wreck is open for penetration.

Scuttled: 19th July 1999

Length: 45m

Beam: 9.2m

Weight: 257 Tonne

Passengers: 70

Cars: 10

Location: 500m off Qwara Point

Depth: 42m

MV Imperial Eagle was registered under other names prior to coming to Malta. When first
launched in 1938 until 1947 she was named “New Royal Lady”, then in 1948 as “Royal Lady”
and thereafter until 1958 as “Crested Eagle”. Built by J.Crown & Sons Ltd, in Sunderland
England & powered by two oil engines manufactured by Crossley Bros Ltd. After 1968 she
was used to transport cargo and animals from Gozo to Valletta. She was also used for
storage. In Malta she was owned by Sunny & Maria Pisani, a family from Gozo. The vessel
was sold to the local Diving community on 28th November 1995. The diving community
proposed to scuttle her as a dive attraction for divers off Qwara point, and to form the main
attraction for an Underwater Marine Park Project. The Imperial Eagle was eventually
scuttled on 19th July 1999.
She was later joined by the statue of Jesus Christ in 2000.

The Statue of Jesus Christ

Weight: 13 Tons

Height: 3m

Material: Fibre Glass & Concrete

Location: Originally off St Pauls Island

Current location: Sea Bed Near Imperial Eagle.

Depth: Sea Bed 36m

Maltese sculptor Alfred Camilleri Cauchi was commissioned to commemorate the 1990 visit of Pope John Paul II to Malta. After being blessed by His Holiness, the statue was placed on the seabed near  St Paul’s Islands as an attraction for divers.

In 2000 the Statue was relocated from St Pauls Islands to the seabed off Qwra Point, 40m from the bow of the  IMPERIAL EAGLE  Wreck.