SS Thistlegorm

A British armed merchant ship sunk by air attack in 1941, still holding its wartime cargo of motorcycles, trucks and rifles. Widely considered one of the best wreck dives in the world.

Depth

16–32m

Access

Long day boat from Hurghada or El Gouna, or — far more commonly — a liveaboard itinerary

Best season

Year-round on liveaboards; day trips from Hurghada depend on sea state and make for a very long day

Level

Advanced

Conditions

• Current is the defining factor and can be strong; dives are usually run down a shot line
• Two dives is standard — an outside orientation, then the holds
• The site gets extremely busy in season, with many boats moored simultaneously

What you are likely to see

• Large schooling batfish and trevally around the structure
• Resident groupers and lionfish
• The wreck itself is the attraction rather than the marine life

What to watch out for

• The cargo holds are an overhead environment. Divers do enter them routinely, but "routinely" is not "safely without training" — go with a guide who knows the layout.
• It is a war grave. Nine crew died here. Taking souvenirs is theft, and it is also the reason parts of the wreck are more stripped than they should be.
• Strong current plus a busy shot line is the real hazard, more than the depth.

This is planning information, not a dive briefing or a substitute for one. Conditions change; your guide on the day is the authority. Diving emergency numbers and the coast’s recompression chambers are on our emergency contacts page.