Bad weather conditions in November 1912 were fatal for the fate of the Romagna, a cargo ship sunk near Rovinj. That was the last time she sailed, carrying grain from Ravenna to Trieste. Today she lies at a depth of 40 m, with her length of 60 m, almost completely covered by shreds of fishing nets.

Called “ISTRA“ for years, the true identity of this wreck was only recently established as the steamship “Hans Schmidt.“

It is believed to have been one of the first ships sunk on Istrian territory at the beginning of World War I.According to the data, the ship was built in an English shipyard and equipped with J. Gilmore engines, from which she received her name. The well-preserved interior of the vessel can be accessed.

Touring the Baron Gautsch is best started at the stern, across the upper deck towards the bow. After viewing the outside of the ship, you will get a very pleasant feeling of staying in the wreck, while going to the upper deck where the steel skeleton is left.

Due to the bad weather that hit the whole Adriatic at the time, the captain decided to take refuge in the port of Pula; heading towards the city, he struck a mine which destroyed the bow, sinking the ship in the place where it still stands. During the dive, one can enter the wreck which is quite wide and safe.

A short distance from the lighthouse of S. Giovanni (Sv. Ivan), off the coast of Rovinj, at a depth of 30-35 m is Maona, a small cargo vessel which, with its length of 40 m, offers a relatively simple dive for divers, in conditions of good visibility. Suitable for AOWD with a minimum of 40 dives.

The Italian minesweeper was built in 1913 and sunk in 1944. Until 1929 she bore the name „Pilade Bronzetti“. She was sunk by a British aircraft which spotted her during a reconnaissance flight. The torpedo broke the ship in half and therefore the bow and stern are about fifty yards apart.

This wreck, sunk in 1944, attracts the curiosity of many diving enthusiasts due to its impressive length of 120 metres. Diving to this wreck, however, is only possible for experienced divers due to its location and depth. Depths between 33 and 40m require a lot of experience in dive planning.

The wreck of the Evdokia is located about 6 miles from Chioggia, it is in navigation trim at an initial depth of 18 meters. Use of a guide is recommended.

The Italian merchant steamship “Varese“ sank in 1915 while transporting cargo from Trieste to Tunis. Because of bad weather, the captain decided to take refuge in the port of Pula. Heading towards the city, ship struck a mine which destroyed the prow, the ship sinking in the place where it is today.