The King Cruiser Wreck was originally a car and passenger ferry in Japan until it was bought by the Songserm companyin 1990 and used as a passenger and cargo ferry between Phuket and Phi Phi Islands. It did the same journey to and from Phi Phi every day for 7 years until one day in May 1997 she took a different route around Hin Musang (Shark Point) and hit the top of Anemone Reef before sinking nearby. There were over 500 passengers on board that day but all were rescued safely and the wreck is not a popular Phuket dive spot.
The King Cruiser Wreck sits in 32m of water in an upright position on her twin hulls. The shallowest point at the wheel house is around 17m but as the wreck collapses in on itself this is getting deeper. She is 85m long and 23m wide.
Due to the depth of the wreck and the strong currents frequently present this is not a dive site suitable for beginner divers. Dives tend to be shorter here as divers run out of no deco time. Visibility can be poor and care must be taken to avoid shark steel edges and flapping fishing nets.
The wreck was a roll on roll off ferry style but as there are no cars on Phi Phi Island there are no cars on the wreck and the cargo bay is empty along the length of the wreck. Both loading ramps at bow and stern are open, the steel cables having snapped years ago.... Continued >>
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