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The Thistlegorm, on the west coast of the Sinai Peninsula and 40 km from Sharm El Sheikh, is the best known and most popular wreck dive in the Red Sea. The 125m long British army freighter sank after just 18 months of her launch in April 1940. Her last voyage commenced on the 2nd of June 1941 as she sailed to Alexandria and was loaded with wartime supplies during World War II. A long list of inventory includes tanks, aircraft, armored vehicles, Jeeps and Bedford trucks.In spite of being privately owned and operated, the HMS Thistlegorm was nevertheless fitted with a 4" anti-aircraft gun and a heavy caliber machine gun when she was drafted for war duty. But it was never to be. In the early hours of 6th October 1941 the Thistlegorm was split in 2 and sank almost instantly after being hit by 2 bombs from a German long range bomber. The hit only blew a hole in the port side of Hold no. 5 but then cargo tank ammunition ignited, causing the bulk of the damage.
Since its rediscovery the wreck has become a popular dive site because of its shallow depth. The wreck has largely broken up as it lies upside down upon the reef, but there are three large holes in the hull which allow divers to penetrate the wreck and examine the two large boilers and a host of fallen metal work. In part owing to the shallow depth, an abundance of reef fish can be found: Glassfish, Groupers, Jackfish, Scorpionfish and Crocodilefish can all be seen around the ruptures in the hull.
The ship is lying on the bottom in roughly three separate sections parallel to the reef, with the crumpled bow lying at 10 meters, the cargo area amidships being a jumble of steel and remains of the cargo, and the aft section with an intact A-frame located forward of the superstructure. The wreck is populated with numerous varieties of aquatic life with glassfish, scorpionfish, wrasse, the occassional napoleon, crocodile fish, and blue-spotted stingrays along the bottom. This is really a fun wreck dive for divers of all certification levels.
- Free DAN dive accident insurance (if trip value > USD 2500 per person)
- Dive permits, taxes, marine park fees, harbor fees
- Full board
- Nitrox
- Weight belt/weights/12l tank(s)
- Free Wi-Fi (depending on coverage)
- Dive guides
- Entry Visa
- Equipment rental, special tank requests, shop items etc.
- Crew tips (usually around 10EUR per day)
- Transfer to/from the airport (round-trip)
- Diving Insurance (7 Euros)
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