Also known as: Torrey Canyon
No shipwreck in British waters had a greater impact on environmental policy than the Torrey Canyon. When this Liberian-flagged supertanker struck Pollard's Rock on the Seven Stones reef in March 1967, she released roughly 120,000 tons of crude oil into the sea — the worst spill the UK had ever seen. The government's desperate response included RAF bombing runs with napalm to incinerate the remaining cargo, an operation watched by millions on television. The disaster rewrote international maritime law and birthed the modern framework for oil pollution response. Diving the remains demands expedition-level planning: Seven Stones lies fifteen miles west of Land's End in open Atlantic, where settled weather windows are rare and brief. Those who reach the scattered wreckage find it spread across a reef alive with marine growth, the steel slowly yielding to the ocean that made the Torrey Canyon a household name.
Ran aground on Pollard's Rock, Seven Stones reef, between Cornwall mainland and Isles of Scilly. Caused the largest oil spill in UK history (~120,000 tons). RAF bombed the wreck with napalm and high explosives to burn off remaining cargo. The disaster led directly to international maritime pollution conventions.
SS Torrey Canyon is a tanker wreck located off Cornwall, United Kingdom at a depth of 35 metres. The vessel was lost due to grounding in 1967. The wreck is diveable.
SS Torrey Canyon lies at 25 to 35 metres depth, Pollard's Rock, Seven Stones reef, 15 miles west of Land's End.
SS Torrey Canyon ran aground on 18 March 1967, off Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Diving the SS Torrey Canyon is rated extreme and is requires advanced technical diving qualifications including trimix certification and extensive deep wreck experience. Recommended: Trimix / Technical certification.
The best months to dive SS Torrey Canyon are May, June, July, August, September. Water temperature ranges from 9°C in winter to 18°C in summer.
SS Torrey Canyon is accessed by boat from Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
| Month | Temp | Visibility | Access | Marine life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9.0°C | 5.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Feb | 9.0°C | 5.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Mar | 9.5°C | 6.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Apr | 10.5°C | 8.0m | marginal | Moderate — season opening |
| May | 12.0°C | 12.0m | good | Good — wrasse, pollock, cuttlefish, anemones |
| Jun | 14.0°C | 15.0m | good | Good — wrasse, pollock, cuttlefish, blue sharks offshore |
| Jul | 16.0°C | 18.0m | good | Peak — basking sharks, blue sharks, sunfish, seals |
| Aug | 18.0°C | 20.0m | good | Peak — basking sharks, blue sharks, sunfish, seals |
| Sep | 17.0°C | 15.0m | good | Good — wrasse, pollock, cuttlefish, anemones |
| Oct | 14.0°C | 10.0m | marginal | Moderate — season closing |
| Nov | 11.0°C | 7.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Dec | 10.0°C | 5.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
3 evidence records from 3 sources.
Wreck on Seven Stones reef at approximately 30m depth.
Ran aground on Pollard's Rock, Seven Stones reef, 18 March 1967. Largest oil spill in UK history.
World's first major oil tanker disaster. Bombed by RAF. Led to international pollution conventions.
Pollard's Rock, Seven Stones reef, 15 miles west of Land's End