Umbria is the best wreck in the world!

“Umbria” is the best wreck in the world!", - this is how the famous Austrian underwater explorer Hans Hass, who was the first civilian scuba diver to dive on the wreck in 1949, referred to this object.

“Umbria” (SS Umbria, Sudan) - cargo-passenger ship with a length of just over 153 meters could take on board 2000 passengers and 9 tons of cargo.

In May 1940, Italy was preparing for war. Captain “Umbria” Lorenzo Muesan personally supervised the loading: 360,000 bombs, 60 boxes of detonators, etc., and the cargo was loaded on board. Formally, Italy was still a neutral power, but the British Royal Navy was already alert. HMS Umbria was followed on the heels of HMS Grimsby, and the cruiser HMS Leander came to the rescue. June 9, 1940 the ship was forced to anchor in Port Said to “inspect for contraband” and detained overnight. And in the early morning the captain of the Umbria was the first to learn by radio that Italy had entered the war...

He announced a fire drill, the lifeboats were launched, the crew and the British observer sailors on board abandoned the ship, after which the captain ordered to open the kingposts and cold-bloodedly sank the ship without giving it to the enemy.

Compared to other wrecks in the Red Sea, SS Umbria is in a “privileged” position, in the center of Windgate reef, so it is not affected by tides and currents. The vessel is lying with a roll to port at a depth of 38 meters. The top hatches are open, the bombs are clearly visible, Fiat cars are parked, no damage is visible, you can see the engine room, the room where the pizza oven is installed.

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