Cargo vessel · lost 1982 · Cork, Ireland
MV Bardini Reefer
Her masts still break the surface. In the channel between Bere Island and the mainland at Castletownbere, the MV Bardini Reefer sits almost complete in just 15 metres of water -- masts protruding above the waterline, making the wreck impossible to miss. This 3,976 GRT Panamanian factory fishing vessel caught fire while at anchor in Bantry Bay and burned for three days before sinking on 15 December 1982.
All crew were rescued by local boats. Gentle currents in the sheltered harbour have encouraged dense marine growth on the superstructure.
- Type
- Cargo vessel
- Lost
- December 12th, 1982Fire
- Casualties
- 0
- Tonnage
- 3,976 GRT
- Depth
- 0–15 m
- Location
- Cork, IrelandAtlantic Ocean
3 of 6 facts above are cited in Sources below.
Deeper than 33 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
History and LossLost December 12th, 1982 · Fire · Cork, Ireland.
The Bardini Reefer was a Panamanian-registered factory fishing vessel at anchor in Castletownbere harbour in Bantry Bay, waiting to go into dry dock. She caught fire and burned for three days before sinking on 15 December 1982 after onboard explosions. All crew were rescued by local boats. She sank in the channel between Bere Island and the mainland in approximately 15m of water.
Lost December 12th, 1982, fire.
Condition of the WreckLargely intact, in 0–15 m.
Intactness
Almost complete and well preserved. The wreck sits upright in sheltered waters. Gentle currents have encouraged dense marine growth on the superstructure. Masts protrude above the waterline.
Notable Features
- Dense marine growth on superstructure
- Boiler room, mast and funnels visible on deck
Additional Details9 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Flag
- Panama
- Loss date
- December 12th, 1982
- Latitude
- 51.65° N
- Longitude
- 9.86° W
- Water body
- Atlantic Ocean
- War grave
- No
- Protected
- No
- Permit required
- No
- Condition
- Largely intact
Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.
- Geological Survey Ireland / Marine Institute (INFOMAR)gsi.geodata.gov.ie · Official record8 facts
- National Monuments Service — Wreck Inventory of Irelandservices-eu1.arcgis.com · Official record8 facts
- Marine Institutedata.marine.ie · Official record2 facts
- linkedin.comlinkedin.com · Secondary source5 facts
- thesilvervoice.wordpress.comthesilvervoice.wordpress.com · Secondary source3 facts
- harbourmastersailingchallenge.co.ukharbourmastersailingchallenge.co.uk · Secondary source2 facts
- wikishire.co.ukwikishire.co.uk · Secondary source2 facts
- Bere Island Heritagebereisland.net · Secondary source1 fact
- Dennis Horgan Photographydennishorgan.ie · Secondary source1 fact
- DUSACdusac.org · Secondary source1 fact
- Irish Wrecks Onlineirishwrecksonline.net · Secondary source1 fact
- YouTubeyoutube.com · Secondary source1 fact
- Irish Underwater Councildiving.ie · Club or operator1 fact
- Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org · Background reading2 facts
Background reading is listed for context and is not counted as a citation for the facts above.
- INFOMAR Shipwrecks © Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- © Government of Ireland. National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- © Marine Institute. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
A further 4 fields were derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.
Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MV Bardini Reefer?
MV Bardini Reefer is the wreck of a cargo vessel, off Cork, Ireland, at 15 metres. MV Bardini Reefer caught fire and sank in 1982.
How deep is the MV Bardini Reefer?
MV Bardini Reefer lies at 0 to 15 metres, Channel between Bere Island and mainland, Bantry Bay, Castletownbere.
How did the MV Bardini Reefer sink?
MV Bardini Reefer caught fire and sank on December 12th, 1982, off Cork, Ireland. No lives were lost.