SS Thistlegorm Dive Guide — World War II Wreck in the Red Sea

The Thistlegorm offers multiple dive profiles depending on your experience and gas planning. The standard recreational route begins with a descent down the mooring line to the bridge area at 16–18 meters. From here, divers swim aft along the deck, passing the anti-aircraft gun platform and descending into Hold 4, which contains the Bedford trucks — their cabs and chassis clearly visible, stacked on two levels.

Hold 2 contains BSA motorcycles, still recognizable with handlebars, engines, and rubber tires. Hold 1 holds railway supplies and ammunition boxes. The external deck features the two railway locomotives, which fell from the deck during sinking and now lie on the sand at 30 meters beside the hull.

The stern section is the most dramatic: the explosion tore the aft holds apart, creating a twisted landscape of steel plates, propeller shafts, and the 4-inch stern gun still mounted on its platform. Advanced divers can explore the engine room through established penetration routes, but this requires wreck diving training and proper equipment.

Marine life is abundant. Giant trevally patrol the hull, batfish school around the superstructure, and large Napoleon wrasse are frequent visitors. Soft corals have colonized much of the upper structure, adding color to the steel.

Advanced Open Water divers and above. Wreck penetration requires wreck specialty certification. The standard external route is accessible to AOW divers comfortable at 30 meters. Technical divers visit for extended bottom time and deep penetration of the engine room.

Year-round, but best conditions April–November. Winter months (December–February) bring cooler water (22°C) and occasional strong winds that can prevent access. Visibility is typically best in autumn. The wreck is accessible as a day trip from Sharm el-Sheikh or as a liveaboard stop from Hurghada.