Hurghada Dive Site

Salem Express - Hurghada Dive Site

Salem Express is shown here because many divers ask about it, but it is not part of the normal Hurghada daily-diving rotation. Diving Star handles it only as a special request when weather, logistics, and diver level fit the route.

This route is handled only on special request - not part of the standard daily diving rotation. Minimum group size, weather window and experienced divers required.

Level: Advanced
Depth range: 18m - 32m
Travel time: Special-request wreck day

Salem Express dive site in Hurghada, Red Sea

Dive profile at a glance

Level

Advanced

Depth range

18m - 32m

Travel time

Special-request wreck day

Reef profile

Historic wreck route outside the normal daily-diving rotation

What divers usually notice

Wreck-focused day
Requires stronger planning
Tracked by request
Minimum group needed

Who this dive site suits

An advanced-level dive - recommended for Advanced Open Water divers with good buoyancy, air management and experience in similar profiles.

Dive route profile

The Salem Express is a former Egyptian passenger ferry that sank in 1991. She sits on her starboard side at a maximum depth of 32 metres, with the port side rails around 12 metres and the bridge and upper decks accessible at intermediate depths. The standard recreational route stays external: down to the bow, along the hull to the stern, past the lifeboats and funnel, and back along the opposite side for a shallow safety stop. Penetration is strictly limited to properly trained wreck divers, and we do not run penetration on the special-request day unless specifically requested and qualified.

Marine life you may encounter

The wreck has developed a rich artificial reef community - large groupers, schools of batfish on the starboard side, moray eels and glassfish in the bridge area. Sea life around the wreck is secondary to the wreck itself, which remains a historically significant and emotionally weighted site.

Best season to dive this site

Spring and autumn give the calmest surface conditions for the crossing from Safaga. Winter northerlies often cancel the run. Summer is workable but visibility can drop with plankton bloom.

Typical conditions

Visibility 15 to 25 metres. Current is usually mild on the wreck itself, though the approach can have tidal flow. Depth limits bottom time quickly, so Nitrox 32 is strongly recommended for this dive.

Planning and practical notes

Diving Star confirms the dive plan on the morning of departure based on wind direction, current and the certification level of divers on board. Two dives per day is standard for daily diving, with a lunch break on board between dives. Equipment rental is EUR 20 per day for certified divers who are not travelling with their own set.

Practical diving tips

The Salem Express is also a memorial - around 470 people lost their lives here. Please dive it with respect: no penetration into cabin areas, no disturbance of personal items still visible on the wreck, and a quiet dive mindset. The dive is usually briefed on the boat with full historical context before descent.