SS Thistlegorm

The SS Thistlegorm is arguably the most famous wreck dive in the world. This 128-meter British armed Merchant Navy ship was built in 1940 to transport supplies for the Allied war effort. In October 1941, loaded with a huge cargo of military equipment destined for troops in North Africa, she was anchored in the Straits of Gubal awaiting passage through the Suez Canal. She never made it. Two German Heinkel He 111 bombers, searching for a much larger vessel, spotted the Thistlegorm and scored direct hits with two bombs. The resulting explosion, which ignited ammunition in the cargo hold, was massive, sinking the ship almost instantly and splitting the stern section from the main vessel.

Rediscovered by Jacques Cousteau in the 1950s and popularized in the 1990s, the Thistlegorm is a breathtaking underwater museum. Divers can explore its cargo holds, which are still packed with BSA motorcycles, Bedford trucks, Bren guns, armored vehicles, and crates of ammunition. The ship sits upright on the seabed at 30 meters, with the blast area providing a fascinating and dramatic view of the ship's final moments. The wreck is now a bustling artificial reef, patrolled by schools of batfish and trevally, making it a truly unforgettable dive into history.