Pasir Tani Wreck

The following descriptions are from Anuar Abdullah, a local diver who has been diving for more than 17 years in east and west Malaysia, has logged more then 6000 dives and knows Perhentian by heart: There are no records of when and why exactly this ship sank. It is supposed to have sunk in 1976. The only fact that locals can recall is that it is Vietnamese. The wreck is a twin-screw landing craft that was used by Vietnamese refugees to flee and find freedom from the tyranny of communism in their country in the 1980's. She found her final resting place under 22 meters of water on a sandy bottom. She lays turned turtle with all her superstructure broken apart and sunken in the soft sand. Some parts of her starboard hull structure have fallen apart, leaving a large opening for divers to swim through. Now after many years on the ocean floor, she supports a huge variety of marine life. Bivalves make up most of the sides and overhangs on the wreck. Soft coral, Seafans and gorgonians cover the upper part of the structure. Clownfish at Perhentian Generations of dead clams and mussels have dropped to the bottom forming a rubble bed in the surrounding area. The rubble bed is home to stonefish, scorpion fish and several species of nudibranch. Barracudas are often seen under the overhanging parts of the hull, which has been eaten up by corrosion. Big eye snappers and chromis swarm the upper side of the wreck. Reef fish like Blue ring angelfish and butterfly fish can also be found on this wreck. Several species of boxfish and puffers are part of the long list of fish that inhabit the Vietnamese Wreck. Tidal and sea conditions affect visibility at this dive site. Surface and underwater currents can be strong. Best diving normally occurs just moments before slack tide. A mooring line is attached to the starboard propeller shaft and it is used as a descent line for divers. Pieces of debris can be found on the stern side of the wreck. On occasion there is a leopard shark that visits the wreck and the surrounding areas. Special precautions are required when diving at this wreck. As almost the entire dive is spent at or near the bottom; the dives are normally regarded as "square profile" where decompression obligations and air consumption must be closely monitored. This wreck is located just minutes to the southwest of Perhentian Kechil and is one of the most popular diving sites. SW of Pulau Perhentian Kecil. Pasir Tani Wreck is also known as Vietnamese Wreck.