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Scuba Diving in Sudan
Dive Site: Blue Belt (Toyota Wreck)
Location: Sha'ab Suedi, 50 miles north of Port Sudan
Description: Cargo ship
Depth: 10 - 36 metres (30 - 118 feet)
Visibility: 20 metres (65 feet)
Rating: *****
The Blue Belt is a cargo ship that sank in December 1977. The cargo was made up of cars, trucks, tractors and spare parts - hence the alternative name of the Toyota Wreck. It is suggested that the crew were smuggling goods from Saudi Arabia at the time and were attempting to pass through the gap in Sha'ab Suedi Reef at Fasima Suedi, but evidently got it wrong (the ship is too big for the gap), hit the reef and sank. Efforts were made to re-float the ship by removing the cargo, which is why it is scattered around the wreck.
This is an excellent wreck dive mainly due to the cargo. The Blue Belt now lies upside down on a slope of about 30° and you can enter it through a large opening in the hull at 36m and work you up through the inside to come out near the bow. There's not a lot to see inside, but it does make a nice swim through. The outside of the wreck is also fairly featureless as it is just an upturned hull, although the scale of it is impressive. Lying on the reef scattered outside the wreck are the highlight of the dive: coral-encrusted remains of cars, complete with lights, tyres, and steering wheels etc that are great to swim around.
Once you are done looking at the wreck and its debris field, finish your dive on the attractive Fasima Suedi to de-gas or wipe of any decompression.
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