Addu City, Maldives – One of the most famous dive sites in the Maldives, the Loyalty Shipwreck in Addu City, located at the very south of the country, has been praised by the Honorary Consul of the Maldives to Germany, Andres Witte.
Witte took to Twitter to explain how Maldives, which was “completely innocent, was draw into World War II, when Hitler’s U-183 hit the Loyalty Ship on 9th March, 1944”, which was in Addu at the time, ultimately causing an oil leak.
It is a great gesture that Maldives never complained and, turned famous dive site, it’s a manifest of our friendship Maldives & Germany. #Golden2022
Honorary Consul of Maldives to Germany, Andreas Witte
This comes as Addu prepares to celebrate the dive site’s diamond jubilee with great pomp, in which the Minister of Tourism of Maldives also participates.
The British Loyalty shipwreck is popular diving destination in Addu City, and according to Maldives boat club, the ship survived torpedo attacks on two separate occasions but was scuttled by the British as they withdrew from the Atoll in 1946.
Now the ship lies 33 meters under water between the islands Maradhoo and Hithadhoo. The site is easily accessible by boat, as it is less than 25 minutes away even from Gan.
The ship is covered with hard and soft corals that are home to a large number of small fishes. It is also surrounded by groups of fishes, including blue-fin jack and turtles that swim around the ship. At times, the divers also find Manta rays and sharks around the Loyalty ship.
