Dover & Folkestone Wrecks · United Kingdom · Wreck
SS Sambut
A shelled Liberty ship on flat ground at 51 m, the deep end of Dover
SS Sambut is a Liberty ship that German coastal artillery shelled and sank in the Strait of Dover in 1944, and she lies on a flat seabed at 51 m at the deep end of the wrecks dived from Dover. Her highest point is at about 33 m, so even the top of the wreck is a deep dive, and she suits divers trained and equipped for deep, tidal water.
Also known as Sambut.
Where it is and how deep
51.1484° N, 1.5557° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The Sambut lies northeast to southwest on a flat seabed at 51 m, with the top of the wreck at about 33 m and a scour beside her reaching about 55 m. A 1966 survey measured the wreck at about 400 ft (122 m) long. The tide sets up a considerable swirl on her down-tide side.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Sambut
- Type
- Liberty ship
- Built
- 1943
- Sunk
- 1944
- Cause
- Shelled by German coastal artillery
- Lies
- On a flat seabed at 51 m, lying northeast to southwest, top at about 33 m
Sambut was a Liberty ship of 7,219 GRT, built in 1943, that German artillery shelled and sank in the Strait of Dover in 1944. In 1969 the Folkestone Salvage Co applied to the Board of Trade for consent to sink an unwanted caisson alongside the wreck.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Dover & Folkestone Wrecks: The dive season runs May to October; some charters sail all year, but the sea feels very cold in March.
Know before you go
- A considerable swirl builds on the down-tide side of the wreck when the tide is running.
Dive videos
The D Day Ship That Never Reached Normandy | Diving SS Sambut · Deep Wreck Diver on YouTube
Sources
- Maritime record - Sambut — Kent Historic Environment Record
- List of shipwrecks in June 1944 — Wikipedia
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