The Oreste Shipwreck is one of the most popular dive sites, with the most requests we receive during the season! 😄 We love it as well, but please understand that this location is available only for Advanced Open Water divers or more qualified divers with at least 15 dives. Due to the demanding nature of the dive and the wreck’s position, it requires descending using a rope into the blue to a depth of 30 meters.

Additionally, we require all guests, even Dive Masters, to first dive with us for one day at another site. This ensures both you and us are comfortable with your air consumption, buoyancy, equalizing your pressure, and that you are familiar with your equipment. Ego has no place underwater, so please take the well-intentioned advice from our instructors, as it is given for your safety and the safety of everyone.

Now, let’s talk about the Oreste Shipwreck:

The Oreste shipwreck, which remains nameless, was long known to local fishermen, and later divers. There was little information available to identify the wreck until it was first mentioned in the book “Lost Commercial Ships – Italian Navy in World War II”, which provided insight into the wreck’s history.

The original name of the ship was Morby, built at Ropner & Sin Shipyard in 1896. In 1926, it was renamed Oreste by the new owner Mateo Scuderia from Catania. It was privately owned during World War II. On March 27, 1942, Oreste struck an underwater mine and sank within two hours. The ship was on its way from Split (Croatia) to Bar (Montenegro). Little information is available about Oreste’s victims.

The ship sank relatively upright to a sandy bottom at a depth of 32 meters. The wreck was first explored in 1955 by the Yugoslav shipbuilding company “Brodospas”.

During the explosion, the ship was split into two parts, approximately 20 meters apart. The hull is well preserved. At the stern, you can find the tunnel shafts. Steam-powered cargo winches, almost intact, are arranged across the deck. Remnants of the steam engine protrude from the ship’s deck. On scattered parts of the command bridge, you can clearly see parts of the steering gear typical of ships from that era. The kitchen is well preserved, with a distinctive stove.

Unfortunately, the wreck has been a victim of vandalism, with divers removing ship installations and parts of the structure. With excellent diving conditions, the Oreste wreck is one of the most visited and popular dive sites in Montenegro. Local dive centers, as well as foreign ones, regularly visit the wreck during the summer months.