Subway Scuba Diving School Malta, Scuba Diving Holidays, Dive Malta, Scuba Diver Training, Malta Diving Holidays, Dive Malta Holidays, Diving Equipment, Diving Courses, Dive Courses, Adventure Holidays, Dive Malta, Dive Gozo, Dive Comino.

Scuba Diving in Malta is considered the best diving in the Mediterranean. The Maltese islands are blessed with warm temperatures, even in winter, clear, unpolluted seas, with visibility underwater in excess of thirty metres. Hundreds of kilometres of coastline, many of which are still unexplored, make the Maltese archipelago a favourite with adventurous divers.

HMS RUSSELL

Length: 140m

Breadth: 25m.

Depth: 9m.

Displacement: 14000 tons

Armament:4X12inch guns, 12X6 inch guns, 12X3 inch guns,

6X3 pdr guns, two maxims

& 4 torpedo tubes.

Russell had a compliment of 800 men, 126 died. Admiral Sydney R Freemantle commanded Russell at time of loss. He survived. Before sinking Russell floated for some 20 mins, she turned turtle, her huge hull showing above water for a while before being engulfed by waves. Court Marshall report may state that Russell sunk 4.2 miles N [89' E True] from St Elmo Breakwater lighthouse. It is said that Russell arrived at Malta the night before but as the Harbour was closed {boom defence} she had to wait till morning. While manoeuvring outside the harbour she struck a mine Russell carried 4x12" & 12x6" guns whilst she mounted a secondary armaments of 12 pounders.

Most of these guns especially the large ones are most probably on the seabed as these were only placed on the deck. When Russell turned over on the surface these would have fallen down to the bottom. Russell achieved a speed of 19 knots, and was launched in Feb 1901 built at Jarrow. Report of this tragedy found on the Daily Malta Chronicle of 1st May 1916.

The Captain of HMS Russell was Capt.W.Bowden-Smith; Russell was one of the first victims of the German mine laying submarines, one of which, the U-73, had voyaged from Kiel to Malta under Cdr.Gustav Siess.

On the night of 23.4.16, the U-73 laid 22/36 mines at about 50 meters apart in front of the harbour at Malta, before proceeding to Cattaro.

The following morning Russell, struck one of these mines and sank 126 died, 625 were saved including the Captain and the Admiral.
Russell was relocated at a depth of 113/115 meters & dived upon for the first time in July 2003 by a British Technical diving team Starfish Enterprise she was fund completely upside down but with the stern section completely missing. Bow gun main turret is still there but the stern gun main turret is missing.