Wreck Dive MV Captain Keith Tibbetts, Cayman Islands

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MV Captain Keith Tibbetts (formerly Russian-built Frigate 356) is a beautiful wreck which was intentionally sunk in September 1996 as an artificial reef. This 330-foot (100-m) Russian Koni class frigate built in the Soviet Union in 1984 for the Cuban Navy. It is one of only a few sunken Soviet naval vessels in the Western Hemisphere, and the only one that is easily dived. The wreck originally sat upright in approximately 90 feet (27 m) with the deck at 60 feet (18 m), until wave action generated by a winter Norwester storm (December 1998-January 1999) which nearly tore the ship in two. The result was that the fore section tipped to about a 45 degree angle in relation to the remainder of the still-upright aft portion. and the midships became a debris field. The wreck's stern area was essentially unaffected. The frigate is located in a sandy area with generally good visibility, approximately 200 m (650 feet) offshore (a fairly long swim) from 'Buccaneer', on the island's north side, near the western tip of the island. There are numerous openings in the upper portion of the ship for non-wreck certified divers. Many more openings are available since the ship broke in half. The site also serves as an artificial reef. The large size, ability to penetrate and good visibility establishes The Captain Keith Tibbetts as one of the worlds best wreck dives.

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