AFGHANISTAN
Protected Area
Sanganeb Atoll
Why dive here
With 55+ marine species recorded in the area - including pufferfish - AFGHANISTAN offers some of Port Sudan & Sanganeb's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 25-32°C, warmest July, August, September.
The Afghanistan wreck, north of Suakin, feels like a ghost ship. It’s an old steamer, built back in 1897, and you really get a sense of its history as you descend. At 50 metres, this is one for experienced divers only, and we love the challenge of getting down there to explore it properly. You're met with the vast, dark outline of the hull, stretched across the sandy bottom. The triple expansion engine is a highlight, impressive in its scale, and the bow section has some fantastic coral growth. We've seen schools of snapper congregating around the superstructure, and the occasional grey reef shark patrolling the perimeter. The visibility here is usually excellent, making the sheer size of the wreck even more impactful. It's a proper deep dive, so manage your bottom time, but for wreck enthusiasts, it's easily our favourite deep wreck in the area. The feeling of swimming through a piece of history, completely colonised by the sea, is quite something.
Typical AFGHANISTAN Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Maximum depth 50m exceeds recreational limits (40m). Technical diving certification and equipment required.
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
AFGHANISTAN Wreck History
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
grounding
The SS 'Afghanistan' was a classic steamship from the turn of the 20th century, built in 1897 by the renowned W. Gray & Co. Ltd. Owned by the Strick Line, she was a workhorse of the British merchant fleet, powered by a triple-expansion steam engine. Her career came to an abrupt end when she went aground on a reef approximately 40 miles north of Suakin in the Sudanese Red Sea. The remote and unforgiving reef system of this coastline left no room for error, and the vessel was badly wrecked and subsequently lost to the sea.
Lying at a depth of 50 meters, the 'Afghanistan' is now a challenging and rewarding dive reserved for experienced technical divers. The depth has helped preserve the wreck from the ravages of time and weather. Divers descending into the deep blue are greeted by the silhouette of a late-Victorian steamer. You can explore the remains of the powerful engine, the cargo holds, and the superstructure, all of which are now colonized by deep-water corals and patrolled by the larger pelagic species that inhabit the offshore reefs of Sudan. It is a hauntingly beautiful dive into maritime history.
Reviews for AFGHANISTAN
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for AFGHANISTAN
AFGHANISTAN Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for AFGHANISTAN, sourced from Copernicus Marine satellite data
August Averages
Sea Temperature
32.01°C
90°F
Current Speed
4 cm/s
Direction: N (0°)
Chlorophyll-a
0.097 mg/m³
Very clear (oligotrophic)
Salinity
36.62 PSU
Data sources: Copernicus Marine Service (EU)
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