Al Shorouk Shipwreck — Dive Site in Aqaba, Jordan Aqaba, Jordan
She almost ended up at extreme depth, but luckily the Al Shorouk's 2008 scuttling ended up going pretty close to plan. This pristine wreck now lies on her starboard side, straddling two reefs just beyond Eel Canyons with a marker buoy attached to her bow. Although the water here is exceptionally clear, that's all we can see for now - let's descend into the blue...
- Depth
- 38m to 60m+
- Conditions
- Depth, mild current, wreck, overhead environments
- Visibility
- Exceptional (30m+)
- Platform
- Shore
- Level
- Technical
Al Shorouk Shipwreck: Dive Site Overview
As we drift down the buoy line, there’s nothing but blue around us. Slowly, Al Shorouk fades into view below. At this depth, coral growth happens more slowly than in the sunny waters above – remarkably free from encrustation and corrosion, she almost looks like she could’ve sunk yesterday.
We arrive at her bow in 38m of water and begin to explore. This is an excellent technical dive for the experienced and students alike. Thanks to the good condition of the wreck, we have no problems penetrating her bridge and engine room and the experienced (and equipped) can venture further into her interior, where invertebrates rule the dark and photo opportunities abound (keep in mind the ship lies on her side, so orientation can be slightly confusing).
For now, we’ll continue along her port rail, exploring the main deck and superstructure, as we descend to Al Shorouk’s deepest point – her stern lies in 55m of water atop a reef shelf. From here, we’ll descend below 60m to make pass through the large swimthrough beneath the ship.
The rest of the dive is up to you – we have a large, well-preserved, 45m by 15m shipwreck and we’re going to need stage decompression here, so we’ll be underwater for a while.
Many divers simply hang in the blue on the mooring line, but there’s much more to see if we ascend north along the bottom to Kirk’s Forest and Eel Canyons, making our final decompression stop at The Tank.
A Little History
Sunk by Aqaba Marine Park on 18 June 2008. As the ship began to sink it began to drift and could easily have ended up in over 100m of water. However, it was pulled back to a diveable depth before it slipped into the waves, creating a new and exciting technical diving spot. The engine room and bridge are easily accessible. A buoy is attached to the bow of the ship which leads to the shallowest point at 38m.
Al Shorouk Datasheet
- Nour 3 : until 2006 Jan
- Aqaba Star : until 2004
- Ashod : until 2000
- Ashkelon : period unknown
| IMO number | 8954465 |
| Type of Ship | Landing Craft |
| Gross Tonnage | 510 tons |
| DWT | 317 tons |
| Former Names | Nour 3 : until 2006 JanAqaba Star : until 2004Ashod : until 2000Ashkelon : period unknown |
| Build | 1967 at Israel Shipyard - Haifa, Israel |
Al Shorouk Shipwreck Dive Site: Location & Dive Map
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