Wreck Diving in Swedish Waters

Wrecks are fragile!

When diving in Swedish waters, you need to consider the Swedish Historic Environment Act.

Wrecks that sank before 1850 are protected by the Cultural Heritage Act. You are allowed to dive on them, but you must act responsibly and remember to be careful not to touch the wreck or objects in its vicinity. You must absolutely not take any objects with you. The objects are very important clues for analyzing the wreck, determining its age, the events leading to the shipwreck and the ship’s origins.

A small number of wrecks are protected by diving and anchorage bans. You can find out which these are by contacting the county administrative board in your county.

When diving on wrecks, move slowly, be careful with your fins – move them sideways or preferably upwards (frog kicks). Do not dive inside the wrecks! It can be dangerous for you, and harmful for the wreck.

• If you don’t know how old a wreck is, treat it as if it were protected. Also bear in mind that future generations of divers will want to enjoy their diving experience as much as you do.
• If you are diving from a boat, make sure you don’t anchor too close to the wreck. Normal sea sense applies.
• Don’t attach lines to the wreck, use a grapnel instead.
• If you find a wreck or some other interesting object that was previously unknown, notify SMTM or the regional county administrative board.