Eurobulker Wreck, Evia

Location: Sporades, Evia & Thessaly, Greece

Also known as: Eurobulker Shipwreck, Eurobulker X, Lefkandi Cement Carrier Wreck

Max depth: 35m · Difficulty: Advanced Open Water · Coordinates: 38.386139, 23.734760

Tags: Wreck, Boat Dive, Deep

The Eurobulker X was a massive 196-meter Cambodian-flagged bulk carrier cargo ship (built in 1974, 35,264 DWT) that suffered a catastrophic structural failure and sank in the Bay of Lefkandi, South Evia Gulf, on September 1, 2000. While moored and loading 32,031 tons of bulk cement at the Chalkis Cement facility during 8 to 9 Beaufort gale winds, severe long-term structural hull corrosion (measuring 30% to 100% loss in critical transverse frames) combined with loading stresses caused the 26-year-old vessel to break in half and sink rapidly. The disaster resulted in one fatality—49-year-old Ukrainian sailor Vladimir Krasulnikov, who was trapped in the crew quarters—while four other crew members were injured and 15 were rescued from the water. The sinking also triggered a severe environmental crisis, spilling approximately 700 tons of heavy fuel and lubricants across the coastlines of Evia, Boeotia, and northern Attica (Oropos/Kalamos). Today, the wreck rests upright on a mixed muddy and sandy seabed between 18 and 35 meters depth. Divers encounter a dramatic underwater scene featuring giant deck cranes, bridge quarters, winches, and an eerie 'lunar landscape' of thousands of tons of solidified cement.

Marine life: Documented species observed at the wreck include large groupers, moray eels, conger eels, tubeworms, anthias, and schools of pelagic amberjacks circling the cranes.

Access: Accessible only by dive boat departing from local marinas in Chalkida, Eretria, or Skala Oropou.

Safety: Maximum depth is 35 meters with an average depth around 25 meters, requiring an Advanced Open Water certification. Visibility ranges from 5 to 18 meters; tidal currents in the South Evia channel can be moderate. Do not penetrate lower cargo hold levels without technical training due to silting hazard.