Abu Nuhas / Carnatic, Egypt

On September 12, 1969, the steam-sailer “Carnatic” set out on its long voyage from Suez to Bombay. The voyage didn’t turn out to be quite as long this time; the very next day, the ship ran aground on Shaab Abu Nuhas and sank on September 14, 1969. On its final voyage, it was loaded with wine bottles, bales of cotton, mail, and copper plates.

The passengers were dogged by bad luck, for they had actually begun their journey to Bombay aboard the ship “Pera.” The “Pera,” however, ran aground off Alexandria. Although it was refloated after a few hours thanks to the tide, the passengers still had to continue their journey on the much more modern “Carnatic.”

Already accustomed to a number of mishaps, the passengers did not seem particularly alarmed when the “Carnatic” ran aground. The captain informed them that another ship from the same shipping company, the “Sumatra,” would come to pick them up. He continued to assume that the ‘Carnatic’ was safe and posed no danger to the passengers. Unfortunately, this was a misjudgment. The next morning, the ship sank; some passengers were able to save themselves in lifeboats, but not all.

Today, the wreck lies on a sandy bottom at a depth of 20–24 meters, with its bow and stern well preserved. The midship section and the engine room were largely destroyed. The “Carnatic” is relatively easy to dive and is beautifully overgrown with marine life.

Ship Data