The SS Thistlegorm is a British armed merchant ship that sank in the northern Egyptian Red Sea on 6 October 1941, after a German air attack while she lay at anchor. The wreck rests on the seabed at a maximum depth of around 30 to 32 metres. Her holds still carry much of her wartime cargo, including trucks, motorcycles and aircraft parts.
What is the SS Thistlegorm and where is it?
The Thistlegorm was a cargo steamer built in Sunderland and launched in April 1940. She was lost while waiting at an anchorage known as Safe Anchorage F in the northern Red Sea. Master Liveaboards, our supplier for these trips, describes her as probably the most famous of the Red Sea wrecks.
For UK divers the wreck has a clear pull. She was a Sunderland-built ship carrying military supplies to Egypt, and most of that cargo is still on board.
The history of the Thistlegorm
The Thistlegorm left Glasgow on 2 June 1941, bound for Alexandria in Egypt. Her cargo included Bedford trucks, Universal Carrier armoured vehicles, BSA and Norton motorcycles, rifles, ammunition, aircraft parts, radio equipment and Wellington boots. Two steam locomotives travelled as deck cargo.
The ship was waiting at anchor in the Red Sea to enter the Suez Canal. At about 01:30 on 6 October 1941, a German Heinkel He 111 bomber found the anchored ships and dropped two bombs on the Thistlegorm. Both bombs struck hold 4, and some of the ammunition stored there exploded. The blast broke the ship in two and she sank.
Nine men died: four merchant seamen and five Royal Navy gunners. The cruiser HMS Carlisle, anchored nearby, picked up the survivors. Jacques Cousteau found the wreck in the 1950s. After that it was largely forgotten, except by local fishermen, until a visit by the dive boat Poolster restarted recreational diving on it.
What you see on the Thistlegorm dive
Most of the cargo stayed inside the ship, so the holds are the main event. Divers find trucks, motorcycles and aircraft parts in the holds. The stern section lies apart from the rest of the ship after the explosion.
The two locomotives were thrown clear when the ship blew up and now lie on the seabed on either side of the wreck. Outside the holds, fish such as tuna, barracuda, batfish and moray eels are often seen around the wreck.
The wreck is fragile and under pressure. Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s Thistlegorm Project have warned that dive boats tying their mooring lines directly onto the wreck, and looting, are damaging the site. Please look, photograph and leave everything where it is.
How the Thistlegorm is dived
The deepest part of the wreck is around 30 to 32 metres. Currents on the site can be strong, and good buoyancy control matters both for your own dive and for the wreck. Your guide will brief each dive on the day, based on conditions.
On our Northern Red Sea Wrecks & Reefs route, the trip needs PADI Open Water or equivalent with at least 10 logged dives. To dive the Thistlegorm itself, local legislation requires a minimum of 20 logged dives. The Red Sea Wrecks route asks for PADI Open Water or equivalent with at least 30 logged dives. Every diver must use a dive computer.
If you have any questions about your fitness to dive, please speak to a doctor before you book.
When to dive the Thistlegorm
Master Liveaboards’ season notes for Egypt cover every month of the year and give a useful guide:
- December to February: water around 22 to 24°C, with fewer boats.
- March to May: around 24 to 28°C.
- June to August: around 28 to 30°C, with the best visibility and calm seas.
- September to November: around 26 to 28°C.
Pack for the season. The operator suggests a 5 mm or 7 mm full-length wetsuit from December to March, 5 mm in spring and autumn, and 3 mm or a shorty in summer. Conditions vary by week, so treat these as a guide rather than a promise. For kit lists and travel planning, see our Red Sea pre-trip guide.
Which DiveTravel routes visit the Thistlegorm
Several Master Liveaboards itineraries include the wreck. Two are built around the northern wrecks. Both are seven-night trips that embark at Marriott Resort Marina, Hurghada, at 18:00, with up to four dives a day and up to 21 dives in total.
Northern Red Sea Wrecks & Reefs
This route mixes wrecks and reefs. Alongside the Thistlegorm, the planned wrecks include the Dunraven, Giannis D and Carnatic, with reef dives at Ras Mohammed, Sha’ab El Erg and the Gubal Islands. It runs on both Blue Horizon and Blue Melody, which each have a nitrox membrane system. Departures currently run from December 2026 to July 2027, and again in November and December 2027.
Red Sea Wrecks
This route focuses on wrecks. As well as the Thistlegorm and Abu Nuhas, it visits the Salem Express and Al Kafain ferry wrecks near Safaga, then finishes with the El Minya minesweeper and the Mohamed Hassabella trawler near Hurghada. It also runs on both Blue Horizon and Blue Melody. Departures currently run from December 2026 to March 2027, then in September, November and December 2027.
Which boat sails a given departure varies, so check the live dates on our Red Sea departure dates page.
Abu Nuhas and Ras Mohammed nearby
Abu Nuhas is a reef close to the Gulf of Suez shipping lanes, known as the Ship’s Graveyard. On its north side, four wrecks lie on the sand: the Ghiannis D, the Carnatic, the Chrisoula K and the Kimon M. Ras Mohammed sits at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula. At Shark and Yolanda Reefs you can drift along a wall, then cross a plateau to the scattered remains of the Yolanda and her cargo of toilets and baths.
The sites on any trip depend on weather, conditions and local rules, and the captain makes the final call. Compare all our options on the Red Sea liveaboards page.
Thistlegorm FAQ
Is there good diving in Egypt?
Yes. The Egyptian Red Sea offers wrecks such as the Thistlegorm and Giannis D, as well as coral reefs and offshore walls.
What is the best time to dive in Egypt?
The operator’s season notes cover the whole year. They point to June to August for the warmest water, around 28 to 30°C, with the best visibility and calm seas, and December to February for cooler water and fewer boats.
Do I need to be an advanced diver to dive the Thistlegorm?
On our Northern Red Sea Wrecks & Reefs route, the minimum is PADI Open Water or equivalent with at least 10 logged dives, and local legislation requires at least 20 logged dives to dive the Thistlegorm itself. The Red Sea Wrecks route asks for at least 30 logged dives. Good buoyancy is important on this wreck.
Are sharks common in Egypt?
Sharks are part of Red Sea diving, but sightings are never guaranteed. Hammerheads are often seen at the Brothers and Daedalus, and oceanic whitetips at Elphinstone, all southern offshore reefs. The operator lists March to May as peak hammerhead season at the Brothers, and September to November as the peak for oceanic whitetip activity.
If the Thistlegorm is on your list, have a look at the Red Sea departure dates. Our team is happy to talk through which trip suits your experience.
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