Cargo vessel · lost 1967 · Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom
MV Lucy
Also known as Lucy.
Standing bolt upright on the seabed with her mast still rigged, the Lucy looks less like a wreck and more like a ship that simply forgot to come back up. This Dutch coaster met her end in dramatic fashion in 1967: her calcium carbide cargo began reacting with seawater after she struck Blackstones Reef, threatening an explosion that forced the crew to abandon ship.
The rising tide then prised her free and the current carried her to her final resting place north of Skomer Island.
- Type
- Cargo vesselDutch
- Lost
- February 14th, 1967Grounding
- Tonnage
- 450 GRTdiesel
- Length
- 52 m
- Depth
- 15–42 m
- Location
- Pembrokeshire, United KingdomCeltic Sea
3 of 6 facts above are cited in Sources below.
Deeper than 137 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
History and LossLost February 14th, 1967 · Grounding · Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom.
Struck Blackstones Reef in Jack Sound while en route Norway to Barry. Calcium carbide cargo reacted with water, creating explosion risk. Crew abandoned ship. Rising tide freed her from the rock and current carried her until she sank north of Skomer Island, outside North Haven.
Lost February 14th, 1967, grounding.
The Voyage
- Cargo
- Calcium carbide
Condition of the WreckIntact, in 15–42 m.
Intactness
Few wrecks in Wales are in better condition. She sits upright and whole along her entire length, and her mast still stands with its rigging in place.
Notable Features
- Sitting upright bow to stern
- Fully rigged mast still standing to 15m
- Rich marine life — plumose anemones, dead man's fingers, nudibranchs
- Within Skomer Marine Nature Reserve
Regulations and RestrictionsProtected site.
This is a legally protected site.
Additional Details12 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Nationality
- Dutch
- Flag
- Netherlands
- Propulsion
- Diesel
- Loss date
- February 14th, 1967
- Latitude
- 51.74° N
- Longitude
- 5.28° W
- Water body
- Celtic Sea
- Protection regime
- Skomer Marine Nature Reserve
- War grave
- No
- Protected
- Yes
- Permit required
- No
- Condition
- Intact
Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.
- UK Hydrographic Officedatahub.admiralty.co.uk · Official record6 facts
- divetheworld.comdivetheworld.com · Secondary source4 facts
- mysurfaceinterval.blogspot.commysurfaceinterval.blogspot.com · Secondary source4 facts
- scubadiving.com (archived)scubadiving.com · Secondary source3 facts
- blog.padi.comblog.padi.com · Secondary source2 facts
- zentacle.comzentacle.com · Secondary source2 facts
- Dive Sitedive.site · Secondary source1 fact
- Divernetdivernet.com · Club or operator7 facts
- Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org · Background reading3 facts
- en-academic.com (Wikipedia mirror)en-academic.com · Background reading1 fact
Background reading is listed for context and is not counted as a citation for the facts above.
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.
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 Lucy?
MV Lucy is the wreck of a cargo vessel, off Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom, at 42 metres. MV Lucy ran aground and was wrecked in 1967.
How deep is the MV Lucy?
MV Lucy lies at 15 to 42 metres, North of Skomer Island, outside North Haven, Pembrokeshire.
How did the MV Lucy sink?
MV Lucy ran aground and was wrecked on February 14th, 1967, off Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom.
Is the MV Lucy protected?
Yes. The recorded designation is: Skomer Marine Nature Reserve.