The ship graveyard of the Red Sea
Abu Nuhas
One reef, four shipwrecks. Giannis D, Carnatic, Chrisoula K and Kimon M lie side by side on this notorious reef near Shadwan Island.
The story
History written in coral
Abu Nuhas - “the father of bad luck” - is the most dangerous reef in the Strait of Gubal. Lying just beneath the surface on the busy Suez shipping lane, it has claimed more ships than any other reef in the Red Sea. For divers, that bad luck became a gift: four beautiful wrecks resting on a sandy slope between 5 and 27 metres.
The star is the Giannis D, a Greek freighter sunk in 1983, its dramatic tilted stern and engine room a photographer’s dream. Beside her lies the Carnatic, a British P&O steamer from 1869 that went down carrying wine bottles and gold sovereigns; her wooden decks have rotted away leaving a beautiful coral-covered skeleton flooded with light.
On a typical day we dive two of the four wrecks, chosen for the conditions and your experience. The reef top is only 5 m deep, so the safety stop turns into a bonus dive among the anthias.
History & key dates
14 September 1869
The Carnatic, a British P&O steamer, sinks on the reef with wine and gold aboard.
12 December 1978
The Kimon M, the "Lentil Wreck", runs onto the reef carrying grain.
31 August 1981
The Chrisoula K, the "Tile Wreck", goes down loaded with Italian floor tiles.
19 April 1983
The Greek freighter Giannis D strikes the reef and sinks. It is now the star of the site.
Today
Four wrecks rest on one reef between 5 and 27 metres, the ship graveyard of the Red Sea.
Dive highlights
- Four wrecks on a single reef
- Giannis D tilted engine room
- The Carnatic, a 150-year-old coral skeleton
- Easy depths for every level
- 2 guided dives, site chosen for you
From the wreck
Abu Nuhas facts
- Built
- Wrecks from 1869 - 1983
- Sunk
- 4 ships on one reef
- Ship
- Giannis D · Carnatic · Chrisoula K · Kimon M
- Depth
- 5 - 27 m
- Level
- All levels (Open Water+)
- Location
- Sha’ab Abu Nuhas, near Shadwan Island
- Getting there
- ~1.5 h from Hurghada
Ready to dive today?
The water is 28°C, the visibility is over 30 m, and a boat with your name on it leaves tomorrow at 8 AM.