Thistlegorm wreck

Wreck

Near Ras Mohammed

Depth: 16–30 mLevel: Advanced Open WaterAll year round

A British freighter of 126.5 m launched at Sunderland in April 1940. At anchor waiting for the entrance to the Suez Canal to clear, she was attacked on the night of 6 October 1941 by two Heinkel He 111s. A bomb struck hold 4, loaded with ammunition, and the explosion broke the ship in two; she sank within minutes and nine people died. The destruction of the midsection left the holds very accessible.

Depth

16–30 m

Recommended level

Advanced Open Water

Average visibility

25 m

Protection status

War grave

Did you know?

The cargo is still in place: Bedford, Morris and Ford lorries, BSA and Norton motorcycles, rifles, wellington boots and ammunition. The two steam locomotives carried on deck were blown clear and lie on either side of the wreck. Cousteau located it in the mid-1950s using information from fishermen, filmed it for "The Silent World" and then concealed its position; he is said to have cut down the mast so that nobody would find it.

Sources consulted: Wikipedia (SS Thistlegorm) · thethistlegormproject.com · DIVE Magazine · PADI Blog · ZuBlu

Location

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1 park within 30 km.