Beirut & Jounieh · Lebanon · Wreck
Souffleur
A 1941 French submarine broken in two on the sand
Area photo: Serge Melki from Indianapolis, USA · CC BY 2.0
The Souffleur is a French Navy Requin-class submarine torpedoed on 25 June 1941 and now broken into two sections on the sand at about 38–40 m, roughly 5 km off the coast south of Beirut near Khaldé. It is an advanced boat dive at the edge of recreational limits, and a war grave.
Also known as Le Souffleur, French submarine Souffleur.
Where it is and how deep
33.7979° N, 35.4449° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The boat ride runs roughly 5 km off the coast south of Beirut, and the descent goes straight down to the sand at about 38–40 m. The submarine lies there broken into two main sections. Visibility is often quoted at 15–20 m but is genuinely variable, and at this depth bottom time on air is measured in a few minutes before a decompression obligation begins.
The conning tower area is the part most divers photograph, and the break between the two sections is the part most remember: a submarine hull opened up. A torpedo is described still in place in one of the forward tubes. Groupers hold position around the hull and morays sit in the openings. The dive ends with a controlled ascent and a proper safety stop.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Souffleur
- Type
- Requin-class submarine
- Length
- 78.3 m (257 ft)
- Built
- 1924
- Sunk
- 1941
- Cause
- Torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Parthian
- Lies
- Broken into two sections on sand at about 38–40 m
Souffleur was a Requin-class submarine of the French Navy, launched on 1 October 1924 and 78.30 m long, a large boat for her era built for long-range patrol work. On 25 June 1941 the British submarine HMS Parthian torpedoed her off the Lebanese coast, and she sank in the Mediterranean off Beirut. Men died aboard, and the wreck is treated as a war grave.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Beirut & Jounieh: June to October is the reliable window, with September and October clearest; winter boats cancel often, and sand tigers are reported mostly in July and August.
Know before you go
- On air at 40 m the no-decompression time is a few minutes; plan bottom time and gas before descending.
- Men died aboard this submarine: it is a war grave, so divers look and photograph but take and move nothing.
Dive videos
The French Submarine Souffleur Wreck – Khaldé, Lebanon · Faysal Aintrazy on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Souffleur submarine wreck?+
The Souffleur lies broken into two sections on the sand at approximately 38–40 m, at the edge of recreational limits.
When was the Souffleur sunk?+
The British submarine HMS Parthian torpedoed the Souffleur off the Lebanese coast on 25 June 1941.
Can divers take souvenirs from the Souffleur?+
No. The Souffleur is a war grave: divers look and photograph, and take and move nothing.
Sources
- The Souffleur — SEALS — SEALS Diving Center
- Every Dive Site on the Lebanese Coast — SEALS — SEALS Diving Center
- French submarine Souffleur (1924) — Wikipedia
- SDLL Dive Sites — SDLL Club
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