Salem Express was constructed in 1976 in France. This ferry sailed under banners of Fred Scamaroni, Nuits Saint George, Lord Synaj and Al Tahra too.
It was purchased by the Egyptian government in 1988 so that it could ply between Safaga seaport in Egypt and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. It was then given a name of Salem Express. Mainly pilgrims making their way to Mecca travelled by it (As Islam religion is concerned, all Muslims ought to make a pilgrimage to this place at least once in a lifetime).
Captain was Hassan Moro, who knew the Red Sea inside out. Previously, he gave lectures at the Naval Academy in Egypt, however he moved to Safaga entering into co-operation with the ferry owner.
Captain Moro perfectly knew the route between Safaga and seaport in Jeddah. He even was accustomed to personally navigate between Safaga and insidious Hyndman coral reefs located south of seaport. Such measure allowed to shorten the time of cruise by up to two hours. No one else would be likely to steer this ship of such size along this route. It is worth mentioning that after disaster of Salem Express ferry all large vessels are obliged to sail along a safer route, passing round perfidious reefs.
On the day of 15th December of 1991, Salem Express set sail for its last cruise. In the evening the weather got notably worse and such strong wind blew that captain for the sake of passengers’ safety gave orders to them to move from the sundeck to hold, and resolved to sail along other, shorter route.
About midnight the ship was approaching Hyndman reef, slightly veering off its course to the east. This little mistake led Salem Express to hit the reef, which tore the hull apart. This crash also resulted in unsealing a bow door and flooding a car deck.
About midnight the ship was approaching Hyndman reef, slightly veering off its course to the east. This little mistake led Salem Express to hit the reef, which tore the hull apart. This crash also resulted in unsealing a bow door and flooding a car deck.
20 minutes elapsed since collision with reef when the ship sank falling upon starboard. The ferry touched the bottom as deep as 30 meters. Due to weather conditions no one rushed to rescue passengers of foundering Salem. There was not enough time to pull down any lifeboat onto a water surface, and passengers who successfully survived floated on the surface left to their own devices. 180 of travelers survived the catastrophe, most of which reached the shore independently (5-6 km).
According to official news, ferry carried 650 people, including 578 passengers and 72 crew members. Unofficially speaking it was twice as many. A sole person guilty of the shipwreck was deemed to be captain Hassan Moro, who drowned with the ship.
The shipwreck lies on starboard at a depth of 32 meters at the bow side and 29 meters at the stern side. A port side rests on only 10 meters. The ship is 115 meters long. It is surrounded by portable stereos, TV sets, diverse items belonging to passengers and corrugated sheets, which served the purpose of canopy sheltering ship terraces. We will find two screws of impressive size, rudder blade and a large open hatch of the car deck at the stern. Corridors of the hold are extended throughout the ship’s length. We will see there a multitude of bags (including two with Happy Journey inscription…), suitcases, a bicycle, clothes and a variety of passengers’ items. A lorry is situated at the very stern, and higher in the upper corridor – 2 passenger cars. In the vicinity of wreck’s interiors there is a dining room, into which you can swim. There are tables, chairs and even trays for food. Outside the wreck in the neighbourhood there are two smokestacks with Salem logo – “S” letter. One more lifeboat rests (the second one vanished sometime) at the bottom. Swimming toward the bow we will encounter the bridge in a while, and behind it – a breathtaking view of the bow, where we will find a big anchor and the spot left of crash into reef with an unsealed bow hatch. When finishing the diving it is worth looking though portholes into cabins above the portside and looking up the upper decks.
The shipwreck belongs to underwater world with all its consequences – it is being gradually covered with hard corals and sponges, penetrated by fish. It become home for many murrains and clown anemone fish.
