Francesca

The Francesca di Rimini was a coal-powered Italian cargo and ammunition carrier (42 m long, 12 m beam, about 281 GRT) built in Rijeka (Fiume) in 1942 for the owner R. Gattoni. Service records and dive literature cite 9 September 1943 in connection with German naval use and 24 January 1944 for the loss in this area, though the full paper trail is patchy. Murter families still hand down eyewitness stories of the sinking; at the same time, historians and divers debate whether this hull is the only true Francesca, with some old tales pointing to other namesakes. What is clear underwater is a first-class deep wreck in front of Kaprije in the Šibenik archipelago.

Wartime narratives agree on a broad script: a ship with munitions and supplies for the African front, adrift on engine failure and anchored off the island, located and strafed or bombed by Allied aircraft, then torn apart as ammunition cooked off in the hold. The hull today is draped in sponges and life: gorgonians, schools of smaller fish, groupers, many lobsters, the occasional eel and greater amberjack, and dentex cruising the superstructure lines.

The wreck lies at 38–50 m; two masts lie in the silt, a third still points upward to roughly 28 m, a stern anti-aircraft gun and scattered shells and stowage remind you the cargo is not inert. This is an experienced-diver, wreck- and gas-management site only: cold, dark, deep, and unstable in places. Do not touch or collect ordnance; follow a qualified guide, respect no-penetration lines, and plan generous reserves. About 9 nautical miles from Murter in straight-line terms; the boat run through the channels is longer.