Olympia Maru (Tangat Wreck)
The Olympia Maru was a Japanese army cargo ship measuring 137 meters (450 feet) in length and weighing 5,617 gross tons. It was sunk by U.S. aircraft on September 24, 1944. Reports state that the vessel was attacked by ten American planes, and the fourth aircraft apparently delivered a direct hit amidships—likely striking a fuel tank—which severely damaged the ship.
Also known as the Tangat Wreck, the Olympia Maru lies south of Busunga Island and west of Tangat Island. The ship rests of about 32 meters. Over the years, it has been misidentified under several names. Today, it is confirmed that the correct name of this wreck is Olympia Maru. The ship burned before it sank. That’s why the upper deck is badly deformed and the masts are no longer straight.
Diving
I dived and scanned the wreck on September 28th 2025 during one dive.
The wreck is impressively large and remains largely intact, with the main deck located between 18 and 24 meters deep. The port side is richly covered in both soft and hard corals, including expansive lettuce corals, black corals, hydroids, brown finger sponges wrapped with alabaster sea cucumbers, white sponges, and sea anemones that shelter colorful clownfish.
The site hosts a vibrant marine ecosystem, home to batfish, groupers, fusiliers, golden rabbitfish, pairs of white-cheek monocle bream, and damselfish. Scorpionfish can also be spotted camouflaged among the wreck’s structures.
The Olympia Maru is an excellent site for wreck diving, particularly suitable for beginner and amateur divers thanks to its generally calm currents. Exploring this historic ship offers both an engaging dive experience and a glimpse into World War II maritime history.
Model
