Strange though it may seem, it’s true that one of the world’s best wreck dive sites is located just off Port Sudan. This dive site is classified as one of the world best for numerous reasons; wreck depth, condition, visibility, wreck penetration ease, history and intrigue as well as one explosive reason which we will reveal later on.
The Umbria was a 500 foot long freighter built in the 1912’s in Hamburg Germany and originally known as the Bahia Blanca. It was used during World War 1 as a freighter and was ultimately sold to the Italians in 1935 to be used as a cargo and troopship.
The ship had set sail in 1937 from Italy and arrived at Port Sudan for re-supplying coal and water, when Italy which had remained neutral in the WWII till then suddenly decided to declare war. This led to officers in the British controlled Port of Sudan wanting to detain the Umbria to search her cargo and detain her as long as possible as they suspected the ship would be used once again in the war. The Captain of the vessel was well aware of how his precious cargo might now be used against his country, decided to scuttle the ship just off of Port Sudan ensuring that the ship and its cargo could never be used again.
So what was the precious cargo which would cause a captain to sink his own ship? The Umbria was carrying 360,000 individual aircraft bombs ranging in size from 15, 50 and 100 kg. The vessel also carried a large quantity of fuses, ammunition and detonators as well as other traditional cargo. The captain knew these bombs would be confiscated and used by the enemy against his country should they ever discover them which was why he made the call to sink the ship.
Lying in the shelter of the Wingate Reef, just outside Port Sudan and strangely unaffected by currents and tides, the ship is within easy reach of Port Sudan harbor. The wreck lies on its Port side at a 60 degree angle at a depth range of 5 – 36 meters (15 – 115 feet) with the maximum depth of 36m making the wreck shallow by most standards. Owing to its depth, there is plenty of natural light that streams through and the visibility of the waters is excellent, ranging from 10 – 15 meters (30 – 50 feet).
There is just so much to see while diving the Umbria, both internally and externally as the ship is relatively intact, and the shallow depth gives you greater bottom time to explore this large ship in one dive. Three holds of the Umbria are open and divers and easily penetrate the holds with one of them containing 3 large classic Fiat Laguna’s which are simply stunning to behold. The holds also contain hundreds of strewn around wine bottles which were a part of its cargo when the ship was sunk.
Finally the main attraction of the Umbria is the hold which contains the 360,000 individual aircraft bombs. The bombs are stacked one on top of the other in hundreds of rows giving you an idea of the explosive power of these devices should they ever detonate. Even though the bombs don’t have their detonators inserted in them which lies along with the fuses nearby, they are still said to be potentially lethal should they ever go off and cause great damage to Port Sudan nearby. Never has the saying “look but don’t touch” ever been as applicable as when diving the Umbria.
The Umbria is a shipwreck that is able to satisfy every level of experience and even the most demanding of Scuba Divers. The ship makes a great photo opportunity, and the wreck penetration is relatively easy yet there is more than enough to explore without the need for specialized scuba diving equipment. Besides where else in the world can you dive with the thrill of 360,000 explosive bombs always just a few feet from away from you? If that doesn’t set your heart racing then we don’t know what will.
photos from flickr by: david_salvatori
