Safaga · Egypt · Wreck
Salem Express
A 115 m ferry lost in 1991, dived as a memorial without entry
Photo: Thomei08 · CC BY-SA 3.0
The ferry Salem Express struck Hyndman Reef on 15 December 1991 and sank within 20 minutes; she lies on her side on flat sand south-east of Safaga, bow at 32 metres and stern at 29 metres. She is a declared maritime tomb, so penetration is forbidden apart from the cargo area and the dive is run as a memorial rather than as a wreck to explore.
Also known as MV Salem Express.
Where it is and how deep
26.6395° N, 34.0611° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Most operators split the ship across two dives. The first works the stern, where the propellers and the rudder stand clear of the sand, then goes forward and shallower past the smokestacks onto the upper decks at 18 to 20 metres. She lies on her side, so what was the deck rises as a vertical face beside you and the geometry takes a few minutes to read. Schools of parrotfish and butterflyfish graze the plating, and pipefish have colonised the hull in numbers.
The second dive covers the bow in 7 to 12 metres of water, where the breach in the starboard side is visible and the bow doors stand open; from there some groups finish by crossing the saddle of Hyndman Reef itself. Working the other direction, the upper deck runs back towards the stern past lifeboats that were never launched, and dives often end over the cabin windows on the starboard side, where you can look down into the accommodation.
Personal belongings are scattered across the site - suitcases, shoes, toys, prayer rugs - and they are the reason the dive is run the way it is. Nothing is moved or taken. Human remains are still on board, so the ship was declared a maritime tomb and penetration is forbidden apart from the cargo area; briefings cover conduct on the wreck as carefully as they cover the dive plan.
The wreck
- Vessel
- MV Salem Express
- Type
- Roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry
- Length
- 115 m (377 ft)
- Built
- 1964
- Sunk
- 1991
- Cause
- Struck Hyndman Reef after an unauthorised night shortcut in rough weather
- Lies
- On her side on flat sand off Hyndman Reef, bow at 32 m and stern at 29 m
Salem Express was launched in 1964 and entered service in 1966. On the night of 15 December 1991 her master took an unauthorised shortcut in rough weather; she struck Hyndman Reef and sank within 20 minutes. The official death toll was 470, but the ferry was overcrowded and later evidence suggests the true figure may have been much greater, likely more than 1,600. Because human remains are still on board she was declared a maritime tomb, and penetration is forbidden apart from the cargo area.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Safaga: Apr–Jun and Sep–Nov are the most comfortable windows; in every month the wind decides whether the offshore reefs can be reached.
Know before you go
- Personal effects and loose debris lie across the wreck; keep clear of them and off the plating rather than risk snagging gear or disturbing the site.
- She is a declared maritime tomb - human remains are still on board and penetration is forbidden apart from the cargo area.
- Current on the site can be strong, so descend on the line and be ready to work back to it against the flow.
Photos from Salem Express
Alexander Vasenin · CC BY-SA 3.0
HotPepper · CC BY 3.0
Hossam el-Hamalawy حسام الحملاوي · CC BY-SA 2.0
Dive videos
Red Sea series episode #5 – MV Salem Express (Strong Images) · andreandrade on YouTube
SCUBA Diving Inside the Wreck of the MV Salem Express - The Titanic of the Red Sea · Mike on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Salem Express?+
She lies on her side on flat sand with the bow at 32 metres and the stern at 29 metres, and the shallowest part of the wreck is at 7 metres. Advanced Open Water is the usual minimum for the site.
Can you dive inside the Salem Express?+
No. The wreck was declared a maritime tomb because human remains are still on board, and penetration is forbidden apart from the cargo area, so the dive is run outside the hull.
Sources
- MV Salem Express — Wikipedia
- Salem Express dive site — PADI
- Egypt's Controversial Wreck Dive — Scuba.com
- The Salem Express: Red Sea Wreck Diving — Dive The World
- Salem Express Wreck Dive Guide — Aquarius Red Sea
Photo credits
- Coral-encrusted railing and superstructure of the Salem Express wreck in blue water by Thomei08, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Open cargo hold on the Salem Express hull, coral growth on the rails, small fish nearby by Alexander Vasenin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Close-up of a coral-covered circular emblem on the wreck's hull by HotPepper, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Weathered superstructure of the Salem Express wreck, coral growth along the beams and portholes by Hossam el-Hamalawy حسام الحملاوي, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Openverse
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Pinnacle
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