This famous wreck in the Red Sea is a maritime grave and it is a very emotional dive. It
requires
utmost respect to visit this sad site of tragedy.
The Salem Express has an air of mystery that overwhelms any diver. The Salem Express
was a
passenger ship that sank in the Red Sea. It is controversial due to the loss of life which
occurred
when she sank shortly after midnight mid- December 1991. The Salem Express was a
ferry that
operated between the ports of Safaga in Egypt and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
She sank after colliding with the Hyndman reef on the Egyptian coast. Many bodies were
recovered after the sinking, but eventually a halt was called due to the danger involved.
Subsequently the wreck was sealed with plates welded across openings.
The majority of passengers were pilgrims returning from Mecca. Towards the end of the
journey
the weather started to pick up, with high winds and heavy seas buffeting the ship. A
detour at
captain’s orders put the ship on a collision course with the Hyndman reef.
Within 20 minutes of striking the reef the ship sank in 30 meters of water, taking many
passengers who were trapped below decks with her.
For those passengers that did manage to get off of the ship before she sank, they had to
fight to
stay afloat in the stormy seas.
Scuba divers can peer into windows and easily enter the ship from many points. The sea
floor, 29
meters deep, is littered with debris. Notably, two ridged life boats rest between the
smoke stacks
and the stern. At the stern of the ship, divers can enter the large car door. The wreck still
contains
cars and luggage.
Diving the wreck has been a matter of controversy due to the numbers of lives lost, and
the
presence of remains inside the ship. Nevertheless recreational diving has been allowed
here.
It is an emotional dive which should be done with the utmost respect. The controversy
over
whether the wreck of the Salem Express should or shouldn’t be dived is one which will
probably
never reach a final and satisfactory conclusion.
The Salem Express lies quite shallow. The wreck starts at 12 meters and the seabed is at
30
meters deep. This is a huge wreck and requires at least two dives for exploration.
Even marine life has respect for this sad maritime tomb. There are only a few groupers,
crocodilefish, surgeonfish and groupers around. After two decades in the water, a small
amount
of hard coral growth has begun. |
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