The Red Sea, often referred to as a “Wreck Diver’s Paradise,” is a treasure trove of maritime history and underwater exploration.
With its crystal-clear waters, abundant marine life, and a history steeped in seafaring, the Red Sea boasts some of the world’s most captivating and historically significant shipwrecks. From ancient vessels, second world war relics up to more recent wrecks, each one tells a unique tale of adventure, tragedy, and discovery.
The wrecks of the Red Sea cater to divers of all skill levels, with some lying in shallow waters accessible to new divers, while others rest at greater depths, providing more challenging opportunities for the more experienced diver.
Take a look below to uncover some of the best wrecks the Red Sea has to offer for divers.
S.S. Thistlegorm
Undoubtedly one of the most iconic WWII wreck dives in the world.
History:
Launched in April 1940, this British cargo steamship completed three voyages before heading from Glasgow destined for Alexandria in Egypt. The S.S. Thistlegorm was carrying supplies to the Western Desert Force fighting under Field Marshal Montgomery.
Her cargo included Bedford trucks, BSA and Norton 16H motorcycles, UC-MkII tanks, Bren guns, 303 rifles, radio equipment, aircraft spare parts, munitions, wellington boots and two LMS Stanier 8F steam locomotives intended for the Egyptian National Railways. The Thistlegorm was armed with a 4.7inch anti-aircraft gun and a heavy calibre machine gun and the crew were supplemented with nine naval personnel to man the guns.
Due to a collision in the Suez Canal which stopped all traffic, the Thistlegorm along with other vessels in the convoy, were unable to continue the journey to Alexandria. She was anchored at a safe anchorage between the Sinai Peninsula and Shaab Ali whilst repairs were made to the Suez Canal. Late at night on the 6th October 1941, a German Heinkel HE111 aircraft spotted the Thistlegorm whilst anchored and dropped two high explosive bombs. The bombs struck hold four near the stern which was storing ammunition. The huge explosion killed four sailors and five naval personnel and ripped the ship in two.
She was officially re-discovered in the early 1950’s by the legendary explorer, Jacques Cousteau with the help of local fisherman.
Size and Access:
At 126 meters long and with a beam of 17.7 metres, she sits upright on the sandy bottom. The deepest part of the wreck is approx 30 metres, with parts of the wreck as shallow as 16 metres.
What to See:
Trains, planes and automobiles! WW2 era trucks, motorbikes, ammunition, tanks, plane parts and plenty of wildlife including tuna, barracuda, crocodile fish and sea turtles.
What to Know:
Diving conditions are good all year round but prone to currents. Visibility is generally good in and around the wreck but will be reduced by sediment if the weather conditions are less favourable or there are lot of divers in the water.
Dive this wreck on any of the following Blue O Two itineraries:
S.S. Carnatic
A visually stunning 19th century steamer swarming with life.
History:
Built in London on the Isle of Dogs, the steamship S.S. Carnatic was completed on the 25th April 1863. She had a composite construction hull with iron framing and wooden planking. Fitted with square-rigged sails the Carnatic was one of the first vessels of the time to use a compound inverted steam engine capable of 2,442hp. The compound engine was incredibly fuel efficient.
Before the Suez Canal was opened in November 1869, the steamship companies would sail from Britain, through the Mediterranean down to Alexandria. Goods and passengers would then be transported overland from Alexandria to Suez. Once reaching Suez, the goods would be loaded on board another steamship which would sail down through the Red Sea and onto Bombay. The Carnatic, operated by Peninsular and Orient (P&O), serviced the Suez to Bombay route.
On the 12th September 1869, due to a navigation error, the Carnatic hit Sha’b Abu Nuhas reef at the mouth of the Gulf of Suez in the Egyptian Red Sea. Her cargo included cotton bales, mail for the British troops in India, fine wine, soda water, copper plates and gold worth more than £1,000,000 in today’s money. Two weeks after her sinking, a salvage operation was started and all the gold was reported to be recovered. There are rumours there’s still treasure to be found. With all that fine wine on board, it’s fair to say there were probably a few drunken members of the salvage team!
Size and Access:
At just under 90 metres in length and with a beam of 11.6 metres, she lies along the reef. The deepest part of the wreck is at approx 27 metres with parts of the wreck as shallow as 15 metres.
What to See:
The stern and bow are clearly visible although the middle of the hull has collapsed. Wooden parts of the hull have rotted away leaving the iron framing exposed producing some beautiful visuals for divers. After so many years underwater, the wreck has become a rich habitat for beautiful coral and is swarming with marine life. This is a beautiful dive especially if the sun is low in the sky – the light filters through the metal structure of the wreck highlighting schools of glass fish.
What to Know:
This is a relatively easy wreck dive and is especially nice in the morning due to the light. A great option for divers who are new to wrecks. Diving conditions are good all year round but there are sometimes strong currents. Visibility is generally good in and around the wreck but will be reduced by sediment if weather conditions are less favourable or there are lot of divers in the water.
Dive this wreck on any of the following Blue O Two itineraries:
Giannis D
A modern cargo ship with plenty to explore and lots to discover.
History:
Completed in 1969, the Giannis D was built at the Kuryshima Dock Company of Imabari, Japan. With a top speed of 12 knots and a 6-cylinder diesel engine delivering 3,000 BHP, she was soon put to work transporting cargo all over the world.
Originally named the Shoyo Maru, she was sold in 1975 and renamed the Markus. In 1980 she was sold on to the Dumarc Shipping and Trading Corporation of Greece and renamed the Giannis D.
She began her final voyage from Rijeka in Yugoslavia in April 1983 bound for Jeddah with a cargo of lumber. After an uneventful journey through the Adriatic, Mediterranean and Suez Canal, things went drastically wrong whilst transiting the Straits of Gubal in the Egyptian Red Sea. The captain passed the helm to a junior officer, retired to his cabin and not long afterwards, was awoken by the sound of the ship hitting the edge of Sha’ab Abu Nuhas reef at full speed. The crew abandoned the vessel and were taken on board an Egyptian tug. Soon after, the Giannis D sank to the bottom and now lies on it’s port side on the sea bed in roughly three sections.
Size and Access:
At just under 100 metres in length with a beam of 16 metres, the wreck lies parallel to the reef between 27 and 6 metres below the surface.
What to See:
The Giannis D’s stern is probably the most photogenic part of the wreck and is still very much intact. There’s loads of possibilities when it comes to exploring this wreck including the wheelhouse. It’s also possible to enter the engine room with all the machinery in great condition. Divers can enter the canteen area and at the right time of day, the light shines through the portholes which is very atmospheric and a great photo opportunity. The middle section of the wreck was completely destroyed when she sank but there’s still lots to see and explore. Keep a look out for crocodile fish and other creatures. The bow is also intact and there’s lots to see here including the anchor chain and mast. Keep a look out for wildlife as there’s lots of soft corals, sponges and anemone, countless fish including lion fish, groupers, bat fish and even some giant morays.
What to Know:
This is a really well conserved wreck with a lot to explore. Take a torch if you have one and are planning on entering the wreck as there’s loads of details to find inside. When inside the wreck, it can be a bit disorientating due to the angle the ship lays at, so keep this in mind and only enter areas if you are a confident diver. Diving conditions are good all year round but there are sometimes strong currents. Visibility is generally good in and around the wreck but will be reduced by sediment if weather conditions are less favourable or there are lot of divers in the water.
Dive this wreck on any of the following Blue O Two itineraries:
Dunraven
Another 19th century steamer and a Red Sea classic
History:
Built in Newcastle upon Tyne and launched in 1872, the Dunraven was a cargo ship powered by steam and sail. In January 1876, the Dunraven sailed from Liverpool for Bombay carrying a cargo of steel and timber. After reaching India, her cargo was unloaded, sold and she was reloaded for the return journey with spices, cotton and muslin. On the 25th April 1876, she reached the Red Sea approaches to the Suez Canal but due to a major navigational era, the crew thought they were further up the Gulf of Suez. The captain sailed the Dunraven straight into a reef south of Beacon Rock at the southern end of what is now the Ras Mohamed National Park. The crew worked to dislodge the vessel and after 14 hours, they finally succeeded but the motion upset her balance and she capsized and sank in 25 metres of water. She now sits completely upside down. There are stories that the cause of the wreck was due to a drunken argument between the Captain and his promiscuous wife. What we do know for certain was the Captain was later found at fault and had his captain’s license revoked.
Although known to local fisherman for generations, she was officially rediscovered in 1977. It took a further two years to finally discover that it was the Dunraven. There were many theories at the time that the ship was actually a WW1 ship that operated on behalf of Lawrence of Arabia but eventually a piece of porcelain was discovered on the wreck with the name SS Dunraven.
Size and Access:
At just over 81 metres in length and with a beam of 9.8 metres, the wreck lies completely upside down with the bow at approx 16 metres and the stern at 30 metres below the surface. Although upturned, there are three large holes in the hull allowing divers to penetrate this wreck.
What to See:
The Dunraven is a fantastic wreck to explore and is covered in both hard and soft corals. Easy access inside the wreck allows divers to explore the engine and boiler rooms. Entering from the engine room allows divers to swim all the way through to the stern with a well lit exit out of the wreck. Make sure you take a look at the propellor and rudder which both have lots of coral growth. Keep an eye open for gin barrels and wine bottles which are scattered around the wreck. When you reach the bow of the vessel, you can also explore the near-by coral gardens on the outer slope of the reef above the bow. There is lots of life in and around the Dunraven including yellow goat fish, moray eels, stone fish, crocodile fish, lionfish and pipe fish. Keep a look out whilst inside the wreck for nudibranchs.
What to Know:
It’s always worth taking a torch if you’re planning on entering the wreck as you never know what you might see. Diving conditions are good all year round but there are sometimes strong currents. Visibility is generally fairly good in and around the wreck but will be reduced by sediment if weather conditions are less favourable or there are a lot of divers in the water.
Dive this wreck on any of the following Blue O Two itineraries:
Salem Express
One of the largest diveable wrecks in the Red Sea
History:
The roll-on, roll-off ferry was launched in Marseille in November 1964 to operate between Marseille and Ajaccio on the island of Corsica. She was originally named as the Fred Scamaroni in honour of a World War II French resistance fighter who hailed from the Ajaccio region and was posthumously awarded the Legion of Honour (the highest French order of merit for both military and civil).
For the next 20 years, she ran a variety of different ferry routes around France and the Mediterranean until 1988 when she was sold to Samatour Shipping Company and renamed the Salem Express; her scheduled route was between Suez and Jeddah.
On her final fateful voyage, the Salem Express sailed her usual 450-mile journey from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Safaga, Egypt with 644 passengers and crew. The night of the sinking was stormy.
At 11:13pm on the 15th December 1991, in heavy seas and strong winds, the Salem Express collided with Hyndman Reef. The reef ripped a hole in the forward starboard bow and knocked open the ship’s bow door – allowing seawater to pour into the car deck at a rapid rate.
Whilst reports vary, the official death toll for the disaster is 464 passengers and crew, making this one of the worst maritime disasters in modern history.
Size and Access:
At 115m in length and with a beam of 17.8m, this is one of the largest diveable wrecks in the Red Sea. She now lies on her starboard side at a depth ranging from 12 meters at the shallowest point to about 30 meters at the deepest.
What to See:
Given the relatively short time the Salem Express has been submerged, much of the ferry remains intact. The ship’s funnels, the upper decks, and the promenade are easily recognizable. In addition, divers can explore the cargo hold where the remnants of cars, trucks, and luggage can still be seen. The tragedy of the Salem Express is juxtaposed with the flourishing marine life that has taken the wreck as their home. Divers can expect to see an array of Red Sea reef fish, soft corals, and perhaps even a few resident turtles or rays.
What to Know:
Diving the Salem Express is a somber experience. Personal items such as clothes, suitcases, and children’s toys scattered around the wreck serve as a haunting reminder of the lives lost. It’s a poignant experience that makes diving the Salem Express a deeply emotional journey. It is essential to approach the dive with respect, remembrance, and reverence.
Dive this wreck on any of the following Blue O Two itineraries:
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