History and Layout

A total of 49,234 Sherman Tanks were built in the US during the Second World War, a quantity equalled by only one other wartime tank, the Soviet T-34. Many variations of the Sherman tank included flamethrowers, rocket launders, mine exploders (flails), swimming apparatus, and tank-dozer conversions.

These two particular Sherman Tanks were left in Gibraltar after World War II and stood at Europa Point for a number of years, filled with rocks. Eventually they were dumped into the sea in the 1960’s. They now sit on a rocky seabed in 6-7 m of water. One is upright and fairly intact, whilst the other is upside down with the cupola sitting to the side of the main chassis. Low rocky ridges surround the area.

Diving the Tanks

They lie close to the rock face and are close to the sewer outlet below the lighthouse, so only dive them in a southerly current! Once you’ve seen the tanks you can grot around the rocky ridges to the north and east. Other cautions include the fact that the area is prone to wave surge which can significantly reduce visibility and also the cliffs directly above the site are a favourite spot for many local anglers.

Extract courtesy of D. Fa.  & P. Smith: Underwater Gibraltar - A Guide to the Rocks Submerged Sites.

Sherman Tank turret.