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Shipwreck off the coast of Paphos

by Josh
(United Kingdom)

Paphos shipwreck

Paphos shipwreck

I would just like to know if you know anything thing about the shipwreck on the shoreline in Paphos. Just got back from Paphos and saw the boat on the shoreline and just wanted to know if you knew the history of it. How it happened? When etc

Many thanks.

Comments for
Shipwreck off the coast of Paphos

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Jul 31, 2010
 Paphos shipwreck
by: Helen

Yes I run this website and I posted the correct answer back in April 2008 (after carefully researching and checking all available sources and news archives) as to when, where and how the ship ran aground off the coast of Paphos. You just need to page down to the bottom of the page to read the answer.

It's amusing to see how such an iconic landmark generates such a lot of debate. I do hope they never take it away :)
Jul 30, 2010
 Shipwreck of Paphos
by: Anonymous

Just got back from Cyprus and I have seen the wreck for the last 3 years and the lady called Helen is absolutly right about its cargo and date
Jul 29, 2010
 Paphos shipwreck
by: Jess

For everyone who is having a go, I made it up? So I'm getting bored of this, either way there's a shipwreck there.
Jul 28, 2010
 Observations on the Paphos shipwreck
by: Anonymous

I got back from paphos yesterday, and I could see this from my balcony (Pafian park hotel) and wondered what it was.

It is rather nice to see on the coast
the waves hitting up against the side of it makes it seem like it is part of the land.
Jul 25, 2010
 Ship being there since 1970s!!!!???
by: Anonymous

@Jess; to say that your dad saw the shipwreck in Paphos since the 1970's is a load of rubbish. My father was a serving soldier here too in the early 70s and came back frequently on military matters and on holidays from thereafter. He never saw any wreck of a ship in Paphos at that time. I have been coming to Paphos on holidays with my family since 1988 and then emigrated here in 1997 so I know that your statement is completely false I'm afraid. The ship was not grounded at anytime before 1998. It occured in 1998, and unless my memory deceives me, during the world cup. There was a rumour that the crew were all watching a world cup match with no one on the bridge. There was another rumour that the ship was deliberately ran aground for insurance purposes; if you think about it, why would it be that close to the shore when all shipping traffic heading to Limassol port are much much further out!
Jul 15, 2010
 Shipwreck
by: Anonymous

I've just got back fom Paphos where I saw the wreck for the first time. It obviously has'nt been there since the 1970s. In any event it wasn't there when I was in Paphos in the late 80s.
Jun 29, 2010
 MV Demetrios II
by: The Truth

It's the MV Demetrios II, built in 1964 and ran aground in 1998, indeed with a cargo of timber.
For the record, it's relatively easy to see it's not been there for decades, as a ship left for so long without maintenance would be incredibly rusted.
Jun 21, 2010
 Paphos shipwreck
by: Anonymous

I heard it was a drunk Russian captain who ran it aground , not sure when though lol
Apr 26, 2010
 70's pictures of the Paphos shipwreck
by: Anonymous

show us a picture of it from the 70s to prove it was there as your dad says
Apr 25, 2010
 Ship in Paphos there since 1970's
by: Jess

My father was in the army in cyprus (Dekhalia or however you spell it) back in the 1960's/70's) The ship was grounded there when he was in the army back then so it has been there for over 30 years now. As to how it got there, im not so sure....but for those people who say it run aground in 1998 or whatever are most certainly wrong. My dad has photos of when he was there in the army of the ship was stuck there in humiliation!
Apr 22, 2010
 I was there when the Paphos shipwreck ran aground
by: Porky

It actually got stuck on the rocks in a storm in 1998, just a few weeks before I went there. They were still in the process of salvaging its cargo and engines. There was talk of turning it into a nightclub........but obviously didn't!
Mar 18, 2010
 Shipwreck, Paphos, Cyprus
by: Tony from Blackburn, Lancashire, England

I thought it was pretty astonishing, I could see it from my hotel balcony(Hill Top Gardens) took photos, and was thinking about how it got there! I thought that boat was a bit close to the shore, then I realised it was stuck on a rock. I visited Paphos in Christmas 2008, the weather was brilliant! can't say the same about the KFC!
Sep 13, 2009
 Ship wreck
by: Brian

Hi Josh,

Just got back from holiday in Cyprus,my kids went for a dive lesson with Abyiss dive centre.
I was curious to the ship in the bay and asked one of the divers,he informed me that it ran aground 12 years ago laiden with timber,a local salvage company bought the ship for scrap and has sat there since.
The cyprus government have tried to buy it back but it is now too expensive, this is only what I have been told how true it is I dont know.
Jun 16, 2009
 Dimitrious 2 (name of the ship)
by: Rudi

Just back from Cyprus,people over there told me the wreck has been there since 1976,and had something to do with smuggling and went aground during a storm.
Mar 09, 2009
 Paphos shipwreck real story
by: Helen

Just see the first entry I made at the bottom of the page for the "real" story - the boat is not Turkish Cypriot...
Mar 09, 2009
 Paphos Wreck - Can we have our boat back!
by: Len.

I've just returned from Paphos and, like lots of other people, have been wondering about the ship grounded off the coast there. According to one British person that claims to have been living there for 10 years, the ship was (is) Turkish Cypriot owned and the crew ditched the boat there for who knows what reason. Apparently, the owners of the ship have asked for it's return but, because they can, the Greek Cypriot powers that be, have said "no!" Unsure of when this all took place, I was informed that the cargo of timber is still on board.
There are also stories that the ship has something to do with the Russians. On the other hand, of course, my opinion is that it could have connections with 'little green men' from........errr, you know where!
Oct 03, 2008
 Date of Shipwreck
by: Helen

Hi Tony

Although I've only lived on the island since 2005, I've checked the date from several sources and I firmly believe it did run aground in 1978.

There is an archive story at the local library from the Cyprus Mail which reported the event when it happened.

The picture you saw with an earlier date probably had a typo putting 1978 instead of 1998.

Helen
Oct 02, 2008
 Paphos shipwreck
by: tony

If the ship has been there since 1992 then its a bit strange how I saw a picture of the shipwreck and the picture was dated 1978. I just want to find out when it really happend.
Jul 03, 2008
 Fascination over Paphos shipwreck
by: Nikki

We are just back from Coral bay cyprus and were so curious to find out more about the ship, we found it fascinating! we hired a speed boat so we could have a better look & get some pictures. Thanks for the information!
Apr 17, 2008
 Paphos shipwreck history
by: Helen

The shipwreck off Paphos has become an icon and something of a tourist attraction.
It has been there since March 23rd 1998 when it ran aground during a storm.

Situated near to Paphos lighthouse, in between the village of Chlorakas and Coral bay, the ship was called the MV Demetrios,l came from Honduras and was carrying a load of timber en route from Greece to Syria.

The eight strong crew was airlifted to safety in Paphos when the ship ran aground.

Reports in the Cyprus Mail said that the crews paperwork, including their seafarer licences were forged.
This was confirmed in a report from Lloyds saying that the Greek captain and his first officer, from Pakistan, were using fake documents.
from Liberia.

Whatever the case, the ship remains stranded to this day on the rocks near the lighthouse. It's a true landmark and one of immense curiosity which is why you wanted to know why it was there Josh!

The cost and/or difficulty of removing it would be too great. And Paphos would lose one of its tourist attractions!

Incidentally, I know that somebody applied for permission to turn it into a disco boat a few years back.
But you can probably see why the application was rejected as it's a little dangerous to get anywhere near the boat.

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