The S.S. Thistlegorm was a British military ship which was bombed in October 1941 by the German luftwaffe, the bombing was devastating. It is believed that they hit the munitions which were stored on board, essentially causing the vessel to break in two. The explosion was so violent that two stem engines, which were positioned at either side of the vessel were blown 30m from the stricken ship.
Sadly this was at the cost of 9 brave men.
It was later discovered by Jacques Cousteau, in 1956 and was featured in his famous underwater adventures in the Red Sea.
The vessel now lies at the bottom of the Red Sea at approximately 30m, and is a tourist attraction for divers, as it still hold the majority of its cargo from the day it was sunk. The cargo includes dozens of motorbikes, cars, wagons and extensive munitions. There are two anti aircraft guns on the bow, and two large coal trucks on the deck.
Nature has of course tried to consume the wreck and it is covered in life, although reckless management of diving boats, in particular mooring points have led to the Thistlegorm becoming damaged and deteriorating perhaps faster than would have been expected naturally.
The wreck remains one of the, if not the premier wreck dives in the world, due to its relatively shallow depth, and it’s extensive cargo, which have laid at the bottom of the sea for over 80 years.
We were blessed to have the opportunity to dive this wreck.
Created by InShot
inshotapp.page...
26 авг 2024