The Russian Wreck

The Moma class (Project 861) was, and is, a costal survey ship. They are also used as buoy tenders. The converted Moma (Project 861M) is an Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) gathering ship converted from Moma class survey ship/buoy tenders. These ships carry SSV (Communications Vessel) numbers on the bow.

Constructed: Estimate 1967-74 (Poland, USSR)
Wrecked: Estimate 1974-85.
Length of ship: 73m (240ft)
Wreck location: Zabagad Island, South Egypt.
Depth range of wreck: 4m to 24m

View wreck location using Google Earth.
(Requires Google Earth: Get it here).

The Discovery

During the early BSAC expeditions to Southern Egypt, one of our main targets was to locate the wreck of the MAIDAN, as well as exploring the undived sites of the south. Cruising around Zabagad we found two lifeboats lying on the shore. We thought they might be from the Maidan and spent the next day diving the outer reefs of St John’s or Zabagad island. Encountering a school of hammerheads we noticed a large freighter in deep water (70mtrs) below us. Beyond our remit, we could only speculate that this might be the Maidan, indeed we now know she is likely to be the TAIWAN.

Right Image: A diver hovers over the stern of the Momar class Surveillance vessel at Zabagad Island. The damage from the explosion can clearly be seen in the hull. On the aft deck are the winches for towing the sonar arrays.

We decided to check out 2 lifeboats - English pump action type - lying on the shore and in doing so stumbled across a cargo ship - her radio and comms mast just below the surface. At first we thought the lifeboats were from this ship, but again we were to be proved wrong.

The initial dive  was a hurried one – the last day of that years expedition. The initial appearance of the ship was that she was simply a small cargo vessel which had run aground - quite recently - not much coral and indeed a painted emblem on her funnel. Electronic equipment lay all around the ship - much more than the usual array of masts coils and cables. Russian lettering on notice plates was everywhere, her compass originating from Denmark. An intact helm and bridge provided a fascinating dive - if anyone had been here before they had left her undisturbed.

As we sailed away we were all excited at the find and speculated over the wreck with lots of unanswered questions. My (Peter Collings) speculation was that she was Russian.

I returned to the wreck whenever our schedule allowed. The more I diver her, the more convinced I was about my theory. On 8th June 2003, the day after John Womack (OtterWater Sports) and myself found the Maidan, I took an electronics expert deep into the Russian wreck - showing him the racks of batteries and the schematics at the end of each row. Although I couldn’t understand his technical jargon through his mouthpiece I got the gist of what he was getting at. All these batteries could only mean one thing; The ship needed a clean power source for her purpose. Her usual generators would give of radiated and transmitted noise - batteries wouldn’t. He traced the cables - some ended where a piece of equipment had been removed through an access panel in the hull. Other cables ran forward and we were not to discover their destination for another year.

Clues to her Role

Throughout the ship we found  evidence of electronic surveillance equipment. One room, located below and behind the bridge was a communications centre. Desks packed with electronic gauges, dials, knobs and switches - desks for 6-10 personnel. The switches were all labeled in Russian.

The battery room contained over 200 batteries in 4 sections each with a schematic at each end. The cables traced back into the communications room.

The HT lead running ashore was armoured and multi cored-leading to a solid base- on the island-no doubt for a fixed array.

The Comms mast had huge multi-core cables running through it-far more than a coastal vessel or a trawler would need. Several directional finding antenna were also located close by.

The Wreck Today

The wreck lies upright in 24 mtrs in the western bay of Zabagad Island. Her bow and small hold have broken off and lie over to port, full of the obligatory glassfish. There is no evidence of any cargo. She is otherwise intact, with a stern superstructure and engine room.  Access to her bridge, complete with instruments, engine room and galley along with companionway swim-throughs is easy and exciting.

Her instrument panel and helm are located in the bridge behind which is a navigation room and stairs down into the accommodation and galley areas. Evidence of beds, tool boxes and every day items are scattered throughout the interior. Large diameter corrugated hoses lie in her stern and her single forward  hold. All her deck fittings are visible, and intact including the empty lifeboat davits, stern winch, cable drums for the towed arrays and “toadstool” ventilator tops. Her  central comms  mast almost breaks the surface. Compass posts sit at each side of the flying bridge.  Access to the engine room and her accommodation area can be gained from doors situated on the rear deck. The rear section of the ship can also be explored from the large holes in her hull. It is possible with care to enter the engine room this way and then exit via the rear doorways or her skylights. In front of the wheelhouse is a control room for what appears to be piping and valves for liquid fuel. The lack of depth (max 24 mtrs) means the wreck is usually bathed in strong sunlight, the clearer water being the upper levels as the sandy bed often becomes cloudy if a swell is present. The stern sitting bolt upright is an impressive sight and is very photogenic.

The bow section lies over to starboard,  the bow itself hard into the reef, and the central raised walkway having broken of from the main section by the deckhouse. Near the winch is an upright structure possibly a crane of some kind and access to the hold is open or though one of two service hatches on the deck or for the less adventurous through a he gash in her starboard side. From the walkway a  forward comms mast runs out almost horizontal and is home to many small reef fishes and soft corals.

Small coral growths have now established themselves on the wreck and antheas adorn the funnel along with several lionfish. The area surrounding the wreck is littered with DF masts and several antenna, and radio sets lie off towards the shore amongst the corals.

The Enigma of this Wreck

It is clear form all of the evidence that this vessel was used as an “intelligence gatherer”, but what was she doing tucked away in a bay in a quite corner of Egypt near the Sudanese border? Some time between 1974 and 1985 – the cold war period. Had she simply put in for repairs and the ensuing explosion sunk her? If so why had all the watertight doors been cut at the hinges, preventing them from being refitted? Why the HT a cables and fuel pipes running ashore?

The Russians were operating out of the Dallak Islands (Eritria) during the cold war. She may be one such vessel. They also had strong connections with the Egyptians and there are several Russian built Egyptian shipwrecks from the Arab conflicts. However there is nothing on the ship to suggest she was an Egyptian vessel or indeed have an Egyptian crew. Was she watching shipping for both Russia and Egypt? Perhaps the clouded past of the cold war will keep her full story a secret.

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