Wreck of Grumman HU-16 Albatros Aircraft

Unlike a wreck born from tragedy, the Grumman HU-16 Albatros near Marsa Alam was placed on the seabed with divers in mind. This large, twin-engine amphibious aircraft served a long and storied career, first with the U.S. military as a search and rescue plane and later with the Yugoslavian Air Force. After its decommissioning, it was purchased by a local hotel owner with the vision of creating a unique underwater attraction. In 2012, the aircraft was carefully cleaned and prepared before being scuttled just offshore.

Today, the Albatros rests on a sandy bottom at a shallow depth of around 14 meters, making it an accessible and spectacular dive for all experience levels. The wreck is perfectly intact, allowing divers to explore the cockpit, peer into the passenger cabin, and swim around the impressive 24-meter wingspan. The large fuselage and engines are already becoming a habitat for marine life, with schools of glassfish taking shelter inside and moray eels finding homes in its crevices. Its proximity to the shore and shallow depth make it an ideal second dive of the day or a fantastic site for underwater photographers looking for a subject that truly stands out from the reef.