SS Thistlegorm wreck: what it is, how to dive it from Sharm El Sheikh and who it suits

Short answer: The SS Thistlegorm is a British cargo ship sunk by German bombers on 6 October 1941 near Sha’ab Ali reef, in the northern Red Sea. Her holds still carry trucks, motorcycles and wartime supplies, and she lies about 30 m down at her deepest. It is a dive for certified divers with deep-dive training. From Sharm El Sheikh, boats need up to about 3.5 hours each way, so most people go on an early day trip or on a liveaboard.

The wreck at a glance

Her story in short

The Thistlegorm left Glasgow on 2 June 1941 with supplies for British forces in North Africa. A collision in the Suez Canal held her convoy at an anchorage in the northern Red Sea, where she waited for weeks. In the early hours of 6 October 1941, two bombs hit hold 4 near the stern, the ammunition on board exploded and she sank. Jacques Cousteau found the wreck in the early 1950s. Divers from Sharm El Sheikh returned to it in the 1990s, and it has been one of the Red Sea’s best-known dives since.

What you see on the dive

• Hold 1: motorcycles and rubber boots.
• Hold 2: aircraft parts, such as wings and tailplanes.
• Vehicles: trucks and small armoured carriers inside the wreck.
• The two steam locomotives: they were deck cargo and were thrown clear by the blast. One lies on each side of the wreck.
• The stern: the area of the explosion.
• Marine life: batfish, barracuda, tuna, moray eels, lionfish, scorpionfish and turtles.

Day trip or liveaboard

A private liveaboard to the Thistlegorm

Shared dive boats are busy on the Thistlegorm. A private charter keeps the boat for your group, and the captain can plan the dive times around your group and the sea. LYT-101 is a 30 m liveaboard built in 2023, from Marina El Wataneya in Sharm El Sheikh, for up to 20 guests in 11 cabins. Its overnight routes include the Thistlegorm, Ras Mohammed and Tiran. Full board and a diving package with night dives are included; national park fees and Nitrox are not. The price is per night for the whole yacht.

Rules on the wreck

• Take nothing. The wreck is a war grave and a protected site.
• Do not touch or hold on to the structure; parts are weak from rust.
• Go inside the holds only with a guide, and only if your training covers it.
• Follow the dive guide’s plan for depth, time and the current.

How booking works

1. You send a request with your dates, your group and each diver’s certification level.
2. The LYT Concierge Team replies within 2 hours, 9:00 to 22:00 Cairo time, with a written quote: the boat, the route, dive guides, equipment and what is included.
3. You accept the quote and pay the 25% deposit. The operator confirms in writing.
4. You pay the 75% balance to the operator before boarding.

Questions

Can beginners dive the Thistlegorm?

Not as a first dive. Because of the depth and the current, operators ask for training to 30 m and good buoyancy. Your operator confirms the level in writing before you pay.

Can non-divers come on the boat?

On a private charter, yes, but the wreck itself is too deep to see from the surface. Ask your concierge about a route that adds snorkelling stops.

When is the best time to go?

Boats go all year, but wind and port decisions can cancel a trip on the day. Then you choose a new date or a full refund (see our booking terms). Season details are in the best time for a boat trip in Sharm and Red Sea liveaboard routes.