The Red Sea - Wreck of the Umbria
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The Red Sea
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Introduction
The Red Sea is one of the youngest oceans in the world and one of the warmest. The northern region, with its diverse array of marine life, is one of the most visited dive locations on earth while the southern end remains virtually unexplored. It's a global hotspot for marine biology and an important trade route throughout human history, linking the trade goods of India and the Far East with the markets of Egypt and Europe.
Wreck of the Umbria
Overview
In World War II the Red Sea was an important route linking Europe to British colonies such as India. On the day Italy declared war on Britain the Umbria was sunk just over 20 miles from Port Sudan. It was an Italian cargo ship headed for the Italian colony of Eritrea.
The 153m long wreck now lies on the sea bed, listing at a 60 degree angle; its precious cargo is still onboard - 360,000 aircraft bombs weighing 5,510 tonnes. The captain of the Umbria was so determined for the British Navy not to get their hands on this deadly cargo that he gave orders to sink the ship.
| Importance: | An archaeological dive that tells an interesting story about the Second World War. |
| Dive category: | This is a wreck dive that reaches a maximum depth of 38m. |
| Access: | Dive operators will organise trips to the Umbria. If you intend on travelling through Sudan it is worth following the advice given by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. |
Interesting for
- Umbria photo gallery
- The website SCUBA travel has put together a gallery of underwater images of the Umbria wreck.
- Gallery
- Video of the Umbria
- Marcel Steuermann has posted this video of the Umbria wreck dive on the Marine Video website.
- The Umbria - the legendary wreck of Sudan
BBC related content
- Oceans ultimate dives: Lucy Blue's wreck dive
- Oceans presenter biography: Lucy Blue
- Oceans image gallery: The Red Sea
- BBC History: An Introduction to Wreck Diving
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