Chrisoula K. – tile freighter
Another wreck can be admired on the reef of Abu Nuhas. It is a Greek cargo ship, the Chrisoula K . The ship, which was once built in Germany under the name Dora Oldendorff, passed through several hands until it finally came into the possession of the shipping company Clarion Marine and was named Chrisoula K.
With a total length of 101 meters and a width of 15 meters, the 3,807 gross registered tons ship was able to reach a maximum speed of 13.5 knots.
In 1981 the Chrisoula K. was on her way from Italy to the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah. She had loaded cheap Italian floor tiles on board. On her last voyage, she passed the reef of Abu Nuhas in the Red Sea on the night of August 30th. Due to a navigational error by the captain, the Chrisoula K. hit the reef and sank.
Today the wreck is easily accessible to divers at a depth of between 5 and a maximum of 25 meters. The middle part was badly damaged by running aground on the reef. This caused the ship to slide into a slight incline.
An only moderate current and the shallow depth invite you to explore the interior of the wreck. There you can marvel at the neatly arranged cargo in the hold. On some of the tiles you can still clearly see the inscription ‘Made in Italy’. The cabins are also worth a look. Here you can discover the bathroom with the sanitary facilities or inspect the open electric stove in the kitchen.
Another highlight is the imposing screw with a diameter of 4 meters. A visit to the former workshop, which is located next to the difficult-to-access engine room, rounds off the dive. Inside, the tools are still scattered across the floor.
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Ship details
length |
101m |
width |
15m |
Draft |
7m |
Drive |
MAN diesel engine |
Load on the last trip |
Floor tiles |
Launched |
12/16/1953 |
Doom |
08/30/1981 |
Minimum depth |
2m (bow remnants) |
Maximum depth |
24m |