Telamon Shipwreck in Lanzarote - Removal Work Stopped

For anyone who has driven the coastal road from Arrecife to Costa Teguise, the sight of the Telamon Ship Wreck in Lanzarote has always been a place of interest. For years there were rumours about the removal of the ship for safety reasons, as parts of the structure had become unstable and was a danger to divers and bathers in the area.

The boat sank on the 31st October 1981, about a mile Northeast of Arrecife. It was carrying a cargo of tropical tree trunks from the Ivory Coast to Thessaloniki (some of the cargo can now be found as part of a sculpture in Costa Teguise) when it issued a May Day distress around the Canary Islands. The boat was denied access to the port of Arrecife as there were fears it would block the entrance, so was asked to locate on shallow waters nearby. 35 years on the boat remained in the same place, before a professional company started to dismantle the ship wreck for scrap during the spring of 2022.

However, the company that was instructed to carry out the work and issued the rights to the materials recovered has now been asked to stop for bureaucratic reasons. At this time there is no information as to when the work might resume.

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About the author

Mr TravelON is the brand ambassador for TravelON and one of the most watched travel experts in the Canary Islands, with more than 400000 followers across YouTube, TikTok and Facebook. Mr TravelON has worked in tourism for over 25 years with tour operators, excursion suppliers and the local Canary Islands tourism board. He is on the ground in tourist destinations filming content, reviewing tours and talking with holidaymakers every day. His advice comes from real experience and direct contact with the island. As a Travel expert and editor he brings the most up to date travel news.