By Minius Martinez
There are more than 3 million shipwrecks sitting on the bottom of the
oceans throughout the world. Many of these were sunken due to an
oceanic accident, unfavorable weather, or perhaps as a casualty of war.
Some of these were scattered in the underwater currents, some have
broken apart underneath the waves, but there are many sunken ships that
remain right where they landed on the ocean floor. Here are ten sunken
ships that any adventurist truly needs to explore before they pass on to
the next life.
MS Zenobia, Cyprus
The MS Zenobia was a Swedish ferry that set sail in 1979. The ship
sank near the city of Larnaca, Cyprus, in June 1980. The ship is now 140
feet underwater, and is thought to be the best wreck diving site in the
world.
USS Scuffle, Mexico
The USS Scuffle was a minesweeper built during World War 2 for the
United States Navy. In 1962, the ship was sold to the Mexican Navy, but
was sunk on an artificial reef. It is now a popular diving attraction
for anyone visiting Mexico.
SS President Coolidge, Vanuatu
Originally constructed as a US luxury ocean liner, the SS President
Coolidge served as a troopship during World War 2. Unfortunately, it was
sunk by mines in Espiritu Santo. Divers are able to explore the massive
wreck in shallow and deep dives.
Um El Faroud, Malta
The Um El Faroud launched in 1969, and was a 10,000 ton
Libyan owned motor tanker. Following a gas explosion during routine
maintenance, she was scuttled off the coast of Malta. The sunken ship is
now a popular diving attraction.
MTS Oceanos, South Africa
The French-built MTS Oceanos was once a popular cruise ship, but sank
off South Africa’s eastern coast during a particular bad storm, which
caused leakage in the engine room. Divers can now visit the wreck, but
strong currents and numerous sharks make it difficult.
RMS Rhone, British Virgin Islands
The RMS Rhone was once a British packet ship owned by the Royal Mail
Steam Packet Company. The ship sunk off the coast of Salt Island near
the British Virgin Islands in 1867 thanks to a hurricane. 123 people
died on the ship. It is now a popular Caribbean wreck diving site.
Russian Wreck, Red Sea
Commonly known as the Russian Wreck, the ship may have once been
called Khanka. The ship lies at a depth of around 80 feet in the Red
Sea. If it is Khanka, then it sunk after hitting a particular bad reef
in 1982.
Mar Sem Fim, Shetland Islands
Mar Sem Fim, a 76-foot long Brazilian research vessel, was manned by a
research crew filming a documentary. The ship became stuck in the ice,
though, and sunk 30 feet into the water. The entire boat was perfectly
preserved in the arctic environment’s shallow waters.
Frigate 356, Caribbean Sea
Found at Cayman Brac Island, Frigate 356 is one of the few sunken
Soviet ships in the Western Hemisphere. The warship was being prepared
for service when the USSR collapsed. After remaining unused for ten
years, the Frigage was scuttled as a dive wreck in 1996.
Giannis D, Red Sea
This 330-foot long ship, the Giannis D, is one of the largest
shipwrecks located within the northern Red Sea. The Greek cargo ship was
used to transport wood at one time, but sank in 1983 after striking a
reef.
