The Wreck On the night of January 30, 1978, during severe sea turbulence at Cape Maleas, the diesel-powered cargo ship M/V KAPTAN ISMAIL HAKKI, while attempting to approach the coast, sank just a few meters from the shoreline in the Bay of Agia Marina in Laconia. The vessel was loaded with iron ore, and a […]
LCVP (Landing Craft Vechicle Personnel) The special kind of war ship that is used to deploy personnel or Vechicles whilst an amphibious attack, is called Landing Craft or Ship (depending on the scale). These kind of crafts begun to be constructed during the operations of the Second world war and especially after the occupation of […]
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Freight steamer SIFNOS (former CAP D “ANTIFER, formerly LABOR) of Piraeus registration 712, with distinctive letters SVOB, a gross registered tonnage of 2290 gt and a net registered tonnage of 1073 gt, 248 feet long, built in 1917 at the DETROIT SHIPBUILDING CO. of DETROIT in the United States of America. She was powered by […]
BORA During Grafas Diving team’s expedition in Pagasitikos Gulf, between 2019 and 2020 with (Aqua Core Divers), the divers had the opportunity to visit and film the wreck of the freight ship BORA. Our team managed to find only some fragments of the history of the ship, limited only to a few information, that the […]
The wreck of the motorship KALI TYCHI, which sank at a shallow depth due to an accident on July 25, 1975, near the port of Agia Kyriaki in the prefecture of Magnesia, is a special diving object as it is marked by a long and interesting history. The ship was built in 1917 at the […]
S/S VOLOS (formerly S / S THASOS) Antonis Grafas, in the context of documentation and presentation of the wrecks of the Greek seas on his website, dived with his associates and with the support of Costas Kontos (Aqua Core Divers) in October 2020 in the wreck of the steamer VOLOS (former S / S THASOS) […]
The British Mine layer H.M.S. REGULUS (J327) Immediately following the departure of the German army from Athens in September 1944, ships of the Greek Royal Navy, assisted by naval mine sweepers of the British Royal Navy, 5th MSF [1] on October 15, 1944, within the remit of “Operation Manna”, opened a channel for allied fleet […]
On October the 21st and 22nd of 2017, Antonis Grafas and his team dived with the support of Nikolaos Giannoulakis and the staff of the ChaniaDiving diving center, the alleged shipwreck of the steamer KYRIAKI, which is sunk in the bay of Souda. The ship was identified and investigated by Nikolaos Giannoulakis and his associates […]
H.S. Water Carrier STYMPHALIA (former Italian NERA) On 1 July 2017 Antonis Grafas Diving Team, in cooperation with George Toumpaniaris, dived, filmed and photographed the wreck of the Hellenic Navy’s water carrier “STYMPHALIA” (former Italian water carrier NERA), which was sank as a target on 18 September 1978 in “Alepochorion Shooting Range” in Greece. The […]
The Italian gunboat Pellegrino Matteucci In April 2017, Antonis Grafas and his team dived, with the support of Nautilus Diving Club and in cooperation with the professional diver Mr. Makis Sotiropoulos, near cape Doukato (Island of Lefkada) to an unknown wreck that after the relevant validation and research it was identified to be the Italian […]
The Polynesien was built for “La Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes” at La Ciotat in France like her sister ships “Australien”, “Armand Behic” and “Ville De La Ciotat”. The ships were quickly recognisable by their length, low profile on the water, and by their double funnels painted black. The ships were painted white between 1895 till […]
The MV Karwela was built in West Germany in 1957 by Jos.L.Meyer of Pepenburg.This passenger ferry with a steel hull weighing 497 tons and 48 meters in length and a beam of 8 meters was first registered in West Germany as the Nordpaloma.She came to Malta in December 1986 and in May 1992 she was […]
IMO: 7018020 COMINOLAND Owner: Captain Morgan Cruises, Malta. Build 1942 by Philip & Son Ltd, Dartmouth. England as a mine-layer and delivered 7/2 1942 to Royal Navy as M6, later renamed MINER VI (or MINER 6) Launched: 22/4 1941 Loa. 34,42m., br. 8,08m., draft 3,66m. Grt: 263, Nrt: 79, Dwt: 150. Two 6 cylinder General […]
This Robust-class deep sea rescue paddle wheeled steamer tug was built by C & W Earls Shipbuilding & Engineering Co,Hull,England,and launched on the 10th May 1910.Having spent her first working years based at Haulbowline Dockyard,Queenstown,Ireland,she came to Malta in 1922 and for the next twenty years she worked in the seas around the Maltese Island.On […]
The P29,formerly Boltenhagen,started life in former East Germany.She is a Kondor -class boat designed and built on the Peenewerft,Wolgast,in East Germany in the 1960.With a length 52 meters and weighing 360 tons,these vessels were primarily intended as minesweepers,though several variants existed,used possibly in fisheries protection,border control or as part of the Germany Democratic Republic logistical […]
Built in 1938 by J.Crown and Sons Ltd Shipbuilders in Sunderland,England,weighing 257 gross tinnes with an approximate lenght of 45 meters.Named New Royal Lady,she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy for transport duties,attached to the US Navy,and then transfereed to port defense duties.In 1947 she was sold to John Hall,Kirkcaldy,for service on the Firth of […]
Um El Faroud was a 10,000 ton Libyan owned single screw motor tanker. Following a gas explosion during maintenance work in 1995, she was scuttled off the coast of Malta as an artificial reef and diving attraction. She was built in 1969 at Smith Dock Co. Ltd, Middlesbrough, England and was owned by the General […]
The Zenobia was built at the Kockums Varv AB shipyard in Sweden and was delivered to her owners Rederi AB Nordö in late 1979. She left Malmö, Sweden on her maiden voyage, bound for Tartous, Syria on 4 May 1980, loaded with 104 lorries with cargo destined for Mediterranean and the Middle East. She passed […]
Establishing the origin of the name “Red Sea” with certainty is no easy matter. The great Greek historian Herodotus of Halicarnassus called in the 5 century BC, perhaps referring to the mythical king called Erythros, which in ancient greek means red. As the Greeks associated the south and the sun with the colour red it […]
Establishing the origin of the name “Red Sea” with certainty is no easy matter. The great Greek historian Herodotus of Halicarnassus called in the 5 century BC, perhaps referring to the mythical king called Erythros, which in ancient greek means red. As the Greeks associated the south and the sun with the colour red it […]
After a very long and uneventful journey, the SS Thistlegorm was lying at anchor outside the entrance of the Suez Canal after slipping through the stormy waters of Atlantic Ocean, a route where, in 1941, German submarines were always on patrol, looking for an easy kill. The final destination was the port of Tawiq at […]
HMS Stubborn was an S-class submarine of the Royal Navy, and part of the Third Group built of that class. She was built by Cammell Laird and launched on 11 November 1942. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the nameStubborn.Stubborn spent the war in home waters, operating […]
The Kingston was built in Sunderland by the Oswald Shipbuilding Company, and launched on 16th February 1871. She was technically described as an “Iron, Screw, Brigantine” and was one of a relatively new breed of ship which had a funnel as well as two masts. Powered by a single, 2 cylinder compound steam-engine, the Kingston […]
The Peninsula & Oriental Passenger Steamer “Carnatic” was built by Samuda Bros of London and classified as an “iron framed planked passenger steamer of 1776 tons.” Her dimensions were 89.8m x 11.6m with a draught of 7.8m. In addition to square-rigged sails, she was powered by a single 4 cylinder compound inverted engine which produced […]
Built by Mitchell & Company of Newcastle, the Dunraven was officially described as an “Iron Screw Steamer – Planked” and launched in December 1873. She was one of those relatively new breed of vessel – capable of being powered by either sail or steam. A relatively large boat for her day, she displaced 1,613 GRT […]
Launched in 1969 as the Shoyo Maru, the Giannis D was built by the Kuryshima Dock Company of Imabari, Japan. A “General Cargo Vessel” of 2,932 gross registered tonnes, she possessed two cargo holds forward with Bridge and Engine Room at the Stern. Her dimensions were 99.5m x 16m with a draught 6.53m . Her […]
The “Kimon” was a ‘General Cargo Vessel’ of 3,714 tonnes (gross) with 4 cargo holds – two forward of and two aft of the central bridge structure. She was built in the German town of Hamm in 1952 by Stuicken & Sohn. Her dimensions were 106.4m x 14.8m x 6.81m. She was powered by a […]
This General Cargo vessel was built by VEB Schiffwerft in their Neptun yard at Rostock, in the former East Germany and launched as the “Kormoran” in 1963. She sailed under that name until 1976 when her name was changed to “Adamastos.” In 1980, yet another change of owner saw her renamed Zingara. A rather smart […]
Built in Bremen (Germany) in 1956, this 2699 ton (3100 gross) general cargo vessel was fitted with Man diesel engines. She was a German registered vessel and sailed under several names, including ‘Naguilan’, ‘Nordhaff’ and ‘Atlas’ until 1971, when after an extensive fire, she was declared a total constructive loss. She was then sold to […]
The Million Hope was a Bulk Cargo Carrier of 16,339 GRT built at Koyo Dockyard, Mihara-Hiroshima, Japan. Originally named the Ryusei Maru upon her being launched on 10 June 1972, she was 174.6 meters in length,24.9 meters in beam, and 10 meters in draught, with twin 6-cylinder diesel engines and a single shaft for a […]
British cargo steam ship “Helmstedt SS”, with a total weight of 1586 tons, a length of 81,4 meters, a width of 10,2 meters, functioning with a 140 BHP two-cylinder compound engine, constructed in 1877 by Edward Withy & Co. at West Hartlepool of Sunderland, engine by Richardson T. & Sons at Hartlepool and owned by […]
On July 2nd 2016, the team of Antonis Grafas dived in the wreck of the cargo ship Mastropetros located near the islets Gavronisia at the south side of Gavrio (located north-west of the island of Andros). Mastropetros was constructed as VALLE DE OROZCO at the shipyard of Tomas Ruiz de Velasco at Bilbao of Spain […]
The French passenger motor ship Théophile Gautier was constructed at the shipyard of Chantierset Ateliers de France in Dunkirk of France with the construction number 132. It was launched in June 26th 1926 and then its interior was renovated by the company Societé des Services Contractuels des Messageries Maritimes, sister company of the well know […]
On June the 11th in 2016, the team of Antonis Grafas dived at a new spot which was kindly provided by Giannis Mitilineos and was successfully confirmed as a wreck during further investigation of the indicative location at the beginning of the same month. The diving, with a maximum depth of 112m, showed that at […]
In April 5th 2015, Antonis Grafas diving team dived and researched an unknown wreck in the sea area of South Evoikos Bay, located at a distance of approximately five nautical miles from Rafina. The location of the wreck was given to the diving team by its cooperator Giannis Mitilineos. The findings of the first research […]
The Italian passenger steamship Città di Tripoli On April 24th 2010, Antonis Grafas and his team dived in an unknown until then wreck at the north-west side of the island of Kea, the position of which was kindly given by the diving team of Nikos Vassilatos and Eleni Tsopouropoulou. The visual material that Antonis brought […]
The French ocean liner S/S Burdigala (ex German S/S Kaiser Friedrich) As the world human history has important and strong personalities to present, the world history of shipping too has big and strong ships, some of which became points of reference of its evolution and prosperity. Many of the historical traces of these ships are […]
On October 2nd 2016, the team of Antonis Grafas dived and filmed the wreck of the small Spanish cargo steamship SAN EDUARDO located at the south-west side of Serifos, at the west Cyclades. The ship, known to the local divers for many years as “Kalogeros Wreck” due to the location nearby that has this name, […]
Passenger touristic boat “Atlantis”, with Thessaloniki ship register number 1433, a volume of 178 gross registered tonnage and 123 net registered tonnage, a length of 34 meters, constructed in England in 1944, wooden (ex coastguard vessel of Hellenic Navy), functioning with two Mercedes 250 BHP engines, owned by the maritime company “Ionian C. Cruises”, represented […]
“Clio” was added to the fleet of the Greek maritime company “Elliniki Atmoploia McDοwall and Barbour” in 1899. It was constructed in 1870 at Blackwood & Gordon shipyard at Port Glasgow of Britain at platform 98 with construction number 105. It had a two-cylinder 120 BHP engine constructed by the shipyard’s repair shop and its […]
Cargo ship KOX 1872 & KKK 932.90 DWT 4000.00 DDS ONPO, with flag of Belgium. On 4/10/1057, the ship crashed into the reef Trypiti (north-west of Makronissos) and sank in two pieces. The part of the stern sank later at Agios Georgios. The ship carried ores, cotton and corn. Source: http://www.theabyss.gr/community/index.php?topic=4230.0
Oldest people of Greek maritime have connected the name “S/S Heimara” to one of the biggest ship tragedies that occurred in the history of Greek shipping. This name recalls the sinking of the Greek passenger boat “S/S Heimara” at Evoikos waters after the Second World War. Except from the ship, 383 Greek people passed away. […]
Motorship “Cassandra” (ex. Alessandro Tomel, ex. Alessandro, ex. Melgoland), with Thessaloniki ship register number 61, a volume of 469 gross registered tonnage and 244 net registered tonnage, a length of 170 feet, constructed in 1918 at Elbe and Norden Werft shipyard of Bolzenburg, functioning with a MEK FIAT 450 BHP engine, owned by Georgios Kolovos […]
Cargo ship of in bulk cement transport “Distos” (ex Mina Entrego), with Piraeus ship register number 8204, DDS SYXR, a volume of 4045 gross registered tonnage and 2205 net registered tonnage, 100 meters length, 5.700 tones transport capacity, constructed in 1972 at S.A Juliana Constructor A. Gijonesa shipyard of Spain. This ship had two holds, […]
In 2009, at the sea area of Evoikos, the wreck of a single-propeller ship was detected. Its name was unknown and it had a length of 40 meters. This wreck is at an upright position at the sea bottom, at the north and south axis, with-58 meters maximum depth and -50 meters minimum depth. Also, […]
Aircraft Information The SX-AKI aircraft type PA-28-181 and category R has four seats, one engine, is low wing with a nose wheel of metal covering. It was constructed by PIPER AIR CRAFT with serial number 28-7990330. It has the certificate of permit to fly 294/25.8.79 that was valid until 9.8.1989 and the registration certificate 266/3.8.79. […]
Cargo ship “AL HADI” with Lebanese flag and a volume of 1183 gross registered tonnage, constructed in 1964 at the shipyard of KISHIGAMI ZOJEN K.–K. AKITSU at Japan, belonging to EAST MEDITERRANEAN MARITIME S.A. The ship, that was travelling with a general cargo from Chalkida to Port Sudan, on 3 October 1985 was sunk while […]
Cargo bulk carrier “Eurobulker X.” (ex Matumba, ex Alangos, ex Galea), with Cambodia flag and volume of 19916 gross registered tonnage and 13870 net registered tonnage, 35264 tones transport capacity, 196 meters length, constructed in 1974 at the Spanish Astilleros Espanoles shipyard of Sevilla, functioning with a 11.500 BHP Sultzer engine.This ship was belonging to […]
British submarine “Perseus”, with a displacement of 2040 tones. On 6 December 1941, “Perseus”, with a 59- member crew including Nikolaos Merlin, Greek Lieutenant of Hellenic Navy, crashed into a mine at the coasts of Kefalonia (at Scala) and sank in a depth of 52 meters.The ships’s spot was unknown until recently, in February 1998, […]
Dutch cargo steam ship “Mars” (ex “Delamere”), registered in Amsterdam, with a volume of 1582 gross registered tonnage and 895 net registered tonnage, a length of 268 feet, constructed in 1925 at Newwaterway S.B C.O, Schiedam shipyard of Rotterdam, owned by Koninklejke Nederlansche Stoomb Maats. The ship was functioning with a three- cylinder reciprocating 207 […]
The passenger paddle steamer PATRIS, owned by Hellenic Steamship Company, on a voyage from Piraeus to Syros, struck a mapped reef at Koundouros on Kea on the night of February 23, 1868, and eventually sank without loss of life. The collision was attributed to navigational errors by Captain N.G. Angelikara, but he was later acquitted […]
Motorship “Pilaros”, with Piraeus ship register number 5612, DDS SV 4076, a volume of 655 gross registered tonnage and 273 net registered tonnage, 760 tones transport capacity, 59 meters length, constructed in 1954 at the shipyard of STOCZNIA IM. KOMUNY DARYSKEI at GDYNIA, with a MEK NYDQVIST 640 BHP engine.The ship with a timber cargo […]
Cargo ship “Kyra Eleni” (ex Otta), with Piraeus ship register number 2290, DDS SWZR, a volume of 2290 gross registered tonnage and 1071 net registered tonnage, 99 meters length, 3658 tones transport capacity, constructed in 1949 at Trondhzems M/V shipyard of Trondhzem, Norway, functioning with a MAN 1890 BHP engine of 12 knots speed. The […]
The wreck of the steamship “Oria” at Gaidouronisi, a tragedy that took place during the German Occupation of Greece in February 1944 and had almost the triple number of victims in comparison to the wreck of Titanic, is forgotten and left in the past of the History. Only few know that…
Cargo ship S/S Monrosa In July of 2003 in the open sea of Anavissos, after serious and intense research using a sonar underwater system (dip meter), the exact spot of the cargo ship “Monrosa” was detected by Antony Grafas. It is mentioned the Italian cargo steam ship “Monrosa” (ex Intiano, ex Indus), with a volume […]
Passenger Ship “Patris” (ex name “Saint Remi”) In June 4th 2011, Antonis Grafas and his diving team dived for the first time in an unknown – until then – wreck that they had detected a few time ago near the island of Patroklos in the Saronic Gulf. As it was later proved, this wreck was […]
In the winter of 2011 the diving team of Antonis Grafas dived, filmed and photographed the well-known wreck of the German submarine U-133 at the bottom of the Argosaronic Gulf. The action and sinking of the German submarine U-133 as seen through historical records, war diaries and field research. During the Second World War one […]
Cargo steam ship Rosa Vlassi Cargo steam ship “Rosa Vlassi”, with Piraeus ship register number 1531, DDS S.V.G.T, a volume of 1959 gross registered tonnage and 914 net registered tonnage, 2784 tones transport capacity, constructed in 1946 at Sunderland, functioning with a three-cylinder reciprocating 750 I.H.P engine. The ship owners were the brothers Giorgos and […]
Hydra Destroyer D-97 Dimensions: 92,3/9,7/3,8 meters Displacement: 1350 tones Impulsion: Steam turbines of 52000hp Speed: 40 knots Armament: 4 firearms of 120mm, 3 A/A firearms of 40mm and 2 triple torpedo tubes of 21 inches. It could carry and throw up to 40 mines. After its modernization, its armament was: 3 firearms of 120mm, 3 […]
Destroyer Thiela The ship called “Thiela” was constructed in England at the Yarrow shipyard after being ordered by the Greek Government in 1906. It was one of the four destroyers constructed in England from 1905 until 1907 for the Greek Royal Navy. The other three destroyers were called “Sfendoni”, “Logxi” and “Nafkratusa”. The ship participated […]
Rescue ship Mimis Rescue ship “Mimis” (ex Phoceen, ex Jane, ex Jollife), with Piraeus ship register number 805 of class A, DDS SVGF, a volume of 276 gross registered tonnage and 53 net registered tonnage, a length of 133 feet, constructed in 1888 at the shipyard of J. Readhead and co. of Soutshields, Scotland, owned […]
The cargo ship “Avantis III” was a cargo ship with a length of 80 meters and a total capacity of 2.362 tones. It was constructed in 1977 in Norway and its first name was “Akershus”. It sank on 19 November 2004 in the morning, in 20 minutes, after crashing into the rocks of “Doroussa” islet, […]
ELENITSA K IMO 327grt Built 1938 2 hatches 1 crane/derrick Crossley 6 cylinder oil engine built 1944 and fitted to ship in 1955. Operated by A Kokkinidis and others Registered Piraeus, Greece Call letters: SV3604 The ship was built in 1938 by E J Smit & Zoon at Westerbrook, Holland (Yard # 656) and named […]
British cable ship “Retriever”, with London ship register number 129024, with a volume of 674 gross registered tonnage and 331 net registered tonnage, a length of 190 feet, constructed in 1909 at the Goole S.B and Repairing co. LTD, Goole shipyard of England. The ship was functioning with a two-cylinder reciprocating 91 NHP engine, owned […]
Cargo steam ship “Agios Markos” (ex Homayun), with Ithaka ship register number 58, a volume of 4513 gross registered tonnage and 2732 net registered tonnage, 6850 tones transport capacity, a length of 376 feet, constructed in 1919 at William Gray and Co. shipyard of West Hartlepool, functioning with a three-cylinder reciprocating 517 NHP engine. Aristotelis […]
Passenger ferry boat “Aigaion”, with Piraeus ship register number 6057, DDS SXEV, a volume of 2812 gross registered tonnage and 1417 net registered tonnage, a length of 117 meters, constructed in 1958 at S.A Cockerill shipyard of Antwerp, functioning with two Sultzer 9600 BHP engines, with a speed of 21 knots. The boat was functioning […]
The Clan Line was founded in 1877 in Liverpool as C. W. Cayzer & Company, trading from the UK to India. The company became Cayzer, Irvine & Company in 1878 when Captain William Irvine joined the firm. In 1881 the Clan Line Association of Steamers was formed and, with an influential Glasgow businessman joining the […]
Wreck description The ship is located at an upright position in the sea bottom at an axis of 300° degrees for the bow and 120° for the stern. There are no breaches and the ship has one propeller as well as one stack that was found next to the wreck. The bridge, the corridors and […]
Curtatone, the Italian destroyer, was constructed at the shipyard of Cantiere Navale Fratelli Orlando at Livorno in Italy, from 3 January 1920 until 21 June 1923. It cost 8,100,000 Italian Lira to the Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina Italiana) and it was the first ship of the destroyer serie Curtatone. The general technical characteristics of […]
“LOKFAHRE” Ex British TLC Mark 1 Type During the World War I, the needs of the British army led to the construction of light landing crafts whose main purpose was to transfer tanks and staff to wild and not easily accessible areas. Upon the beginning of the World War II and having already enough experience […]
The Greek cargo steam ship Petali (ex Admiral Cochrane) was constructed at the shipyard of William Doxford & Sons, at Pallion, Sunderland, England. It was launched in May 19th 1917 and its construction was completed in September of the same year. It travelled under its first name, Admiral Cochrane, for the Byron Steamship Co. Ltd, […]
Italian Torpedo Boat ALTAIR (AT) On the 15th of October 2015 the Grafas Diving Team in collaboration with Giannis Mitilinaios and Dimitris Smirniotis, dived a wreck SouthWest of Patroklos islet, which was afterwards identified as the torpedo boat “Altair” (AT), sister ship of the same class ALDEBARAN (AL), which also sunk in the Saronic Gulf […]
“The blooming ocean and the mountains at the loss of the moon […] golden may be the stars of the swan and the star called Aldebaran” G. Seferis Epifania 1937 In the middle February 2014, the diving group of Antonis Grafas, after a thorough preparation and a cooperative historical research, dived in a wreck that […]
The War Diary of the commander of the Sea Defense of Attika (Kommandant der Seeverteidigung Attika) that was found in the German historic records of World War II includes, among the other fact reports of June 15th 1942, a short input that mentions the below: “At 07.15am, at the minefield of Methana, the Italian minesweeper […]
In March 16th 2014, the diving team of Antonis Grafas dived in an unidentified wreck that is located at the east side of Aghia Marina (Egina) and at the south side of the cape of Tourlos in Egina. The wreck is in a maximum depth of 114 meters and minimum depth of 99 meters. This […]
