The Edro III Shipwreck is one of Cyprus’ few coastal shipwrecks visible without getting wet. Nevertheless, divers should also be excited by what lies beneath the surface. Stranded just 20 metres offshore near Pafos’s sea caves since 2011, this 83-metre freighter tilts at an angle, its hull rusting into abstract patterns against the limestone cliffs. The Sierra Leone-flagged vessel ran aground in a storm while transporting plasterboard to Rhodes, its crew rescued by British forces.
For divers, the wreck offers a rare shallow exploration (5 metres at its deepest). The propeller remains intact, though a gaping hole in the starboard side reveals corroded forklifts frozen mid-task. Schools of fish dart through the skeletal frame, while scattered debris leads to two nearby reefs: one culminating in a sea cave, the other dropping into an 18-metre gully.
Above water, the wreck’s industrial starkness against the Mediterranean blues makes it a magnet for sunset photographers. Local operators run guided dives, but even snorkellers can appreciate the eerie spectacle. With removal deemed impractical, Edro III seems destined to remain Cyprus’ most accessible maritime time capsule.
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