The SS Thistlegorm is one of the most famous wrecks in the world and one of the best preserved. After the explosion that caused its sinking, the ship’s cargo was left almost intact, which is what makes this dive unique today: a sunken ship with motorcycles, trucks, tanks, rifles, an intact propeller, airplane parts, an anti-aircraft gun, ammunition and two locomotives on either side of the wreck.
A series of different coincidences and circumstances turned the remains of this ship into a perfect place for diving. That is why the Thistlegorm is, today, one of the best wrecks for recreational diving in the world.
What happened to the SS Thistlegorm?
On 2 June 1941, the SS Thistlegorm left Glasgow, Scotland, bound for Alexandria, Egypt, with supplies for the 8th Armoured Division in Tobruk. The cargo ship was taken off course along the coast of South Africa in a convoy of 16 ships to avoid enemies in the Mediterranean. After several weeks of sailing, the British ship managed to reach the Red Sea in the third week of September.
Meanwhile, the Germans were continuing their attempts to disrupt enemy supplies. Their spies had reported that the largest cruiser in the British fleet, the Queen Mary, was heading to North Africa with thousands of soldiers on board. This ship was following the same route as the S.S. Thistlegorm.
On the night of 6 October 1941, two German bombers patrolling the area looking for the Queen Mary were about to turn back due to lack of fuel, when they spotted the lights of a ship; but no, the ship they saw was not the Queen Mary.
Two bombs penetrated the ammunition hold of the Thistlegorm, causing the ship to quickly sink along with 9 of her crew. The HMS Carlisle, moored alongside, was able to rescue the rest of the crew.
Diving the SS Thistlegorm
Almost 10 years after its sinking, it was an expedition led by Commander Jacques Cousteau who found the coordinates of the wreck. It was not until the 1990s that the Thistlegorm went from being a local secret to one of the most famous dives in the world. The wreck is located two hours by boat from the port of Sharm El Sheik.
It is a 128 metre long and 18 metre wide ship and lies at a depth of between 18 and 32 metres.
image of the current state of the sunken ship
The dive is not difficult, but it should not be considered a site for beginners. Some of the most iconic sections of the wreck are below deck, in the holds, which involves diving under the roof, between the rows of trucks and motorcycles. It is essential to maintain good buoyancy and avoid touching anything with your fins or tank, as we divers are responsible for protecting this underwater treasure.
Over the years, the ruins of this ship have been flooded with marine life that find refuge within its walls, such as moray eels, lionfish, crocodile fish and large nudibranchs, anthias, parrotfish and schools of pelagic fish, such as snapper or tuna.
