Million Hope Wreck

Propellers first. The stern drops to the seabed at 22-24m, where one of four gantry cranes lies toppled, its steel lattice thick with soft corals. Glassfish swarm the overhanging structure in shifting silver clouds. Lionfish drift through them, unhurried. From here the dive follows the 175m hull forward, ascending gradually to the main deck at 4-5m. The ship sits upright with a port list, starboard side pressed against the reef.

Midway along the hull, a crack in the starboard plating opens into one of five empty cargo holds. The space is vast and stripped clean. Salvage crews removed all 26,000 tonnes of potash and phosphates before the ship settled. An exit on the port side completes the swim-through. At the stern, the multi-level superstructure gives access to crew quarters with portholes streaming natural light, a workshop, and the bridge. Below the wreck, scattered steel from the Hey Daroma adds a second layer of debris to explore.

Scale is the word. No other wreck in the Red Sea matches the Million Hope's 174.6m length. The Thistlegorm is famous for its wartime cargo and draws day-boat fleets; the Million Hope sits up in Nabq receiving a fraction of the traffic. One experienced diver with hundreds of logged dives put it simply: it does not get much attention, but those who know it tend to prefer it that way. Where the Thistlegorm rewards history buffs with motorcycles and rifles, the Million Hope rewards explorers with raw volume. Five holds, four cranes, a complete superstructure. The sheer size means most divers cannot cover everything in one dive.

The depth profile is unusually generous. Main deck at 4-5m, maximum around 22-24m. Open Water divers can circumnavigate the hull. Snorkelers can peer down at the deck from the surface. Upper crane structures break the waterline. Few Red Sea wrecks offer this kind of shallow access on a vessel this large.

Weather controls this dive. Nabq Bay is exposed, and strong winds shut the site regularly. Some trips require Zodiac transfer instead of a normal boat entry. Book with flexibility in your schedule. The wreck is offered as a supplement trip by most Sharm operators, costing EUR 28-34 on top of regular packages. A national park fee applies on top of that.

A torch is essential for the superstructure interior, where portholes provide ambient but limited light. Nitrox extends bottom time and is worth considering given the wreck's enormous length. The stern section at 22-24m benefits most. Penetration of the holds, superstructure, or engine room calls for Wreck Diver certification or equivalent training.