Plane wreck - Aqaba Marine Park
The Plane wreck in Aqaba is a proper treat, especially if you’re a fan of something a bit different. This Tristar C-130 was sunk intentionally in 2017, and it's already doing a cracking job of becoming an artificial reef. We love how accessible it is; even newer divers can enjoy a good swim-through in the cargo hold without feeling pushed. You'll find the plane sitting upright, fairly intact, at around 15 to 28 metres. Inside, shafts of light cut through the fuselage, illuminating schools of slender sweepers darting between the seats. Outside, the wings are a magnet for lionfish, and we’ve spotted peacock wrasse picking over the newly established corals. Our favourite bit? Peeking into the cockpit – it feels like you're discovering a lost relic, even though you know its story. Keep an eye out for larger morays tucked away in the engine nacelles. It’s a photogenic wreck, especially mid-morning when the light is best.
- Location
- Aqaba Marine Park, Jordan, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 29.418062, 34.971620
- Type
- wreck
Marine Protected Area: محمية العقبة البحرية
Best Time to Dive in Aqaba Marine Park
The warmest water temperatures in Aqaba Marine Park occur in August, averaging 27.2°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 20.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 21.9°C
- February: 20.9°C
- March: 20.5°C
- April: 20.9°C
- May: 22.7°C
- June: 24.5°C
- July: 25.8°C
- August: 27.2°C
- September: 26.7°C
- October: 25.5°C
- November: 24.5°C
- December: 23.2°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Aqaba Marine Park
- Abdallah Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- Aquarium House Reef (reef)
- Black Rock
- Blue Coral (reef)
- Cazar reef (reef)
- CEDAR PRIDE - 27m (wreck)
- Cedar Pride Shipwreck (wreck)
- Eel Canyon
- First Bay - 5-15m (reef)
- First Bay North - 20m (reef)
- Gorgon 1
- Gorgone II III
- Gorgone One
- Japaneese garden - 5-20m (reef)
- Japanese Gardens Coral Reefs (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Plane wreck
Marine Life in Aqaba Marine Park
Home to 64 recorded species including 31 reef fish, 16 hard corals, 4 whales & dolphins, 2 clams & mussels, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- Lesser valley coral (Platygyra lamellina) - Hard Corals
- Fluorescence grass coral (Galaxea fascicularis) - Hard Corals
- Red lionfish (Pterois miles) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora eurystoma) - Hard Corals
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Grey Dolphin (Grampus griseus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Rock Cod (Epinephelus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Snakefish (Trachinocephalus myops) - Reef Fish
- Starflower coral (Astreopora myriophthalma) - Hard Corals
- Klunzinger's wrasse (Thalassoma rueppellii) - Reef Fish
- Red Squirrelfish (Sargocentron diadema) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora pharaonis) - Hard Corals
- Banded Cleaner Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Spotted handfish (Brachionichthys hirsutus) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
- Blacktail Butterflyfish (Chaetodon austriacus) - Reef Fish
- Diagonal Butterflyfish (Chaetodon fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Humpbacked conch (Gibberulus gibberulus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- scad (Priacanthus hamrur) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Plane wreck
Based on average water temperature of 23.7°C, currents 4 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 24°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories