SS Carnatic

The Carnatic was a steam ship, which was built in 1862 in London.

The Carnatic drove the route Sues Bombay as a passenger and mail steamer. At this time the present Suez Canal was not yet completed.

On September 12, 1869 was near the island Shadwan in the Red Sea coral reef Sha'b Abu Nuhas. The damage to the ship were initially underestimated, which is why it was decided to hold out until rescued by passing ships in the partially lying on the reef steamer. Only when the Carnatic the next morning was increasingly full with water and turned out the light, the crew began the evacuation of the ship with the help of lifeboats. Shortly after the first boats were lowered into the water, broke the Carnatic into two parts. 31 people drowned. The survivors escaped to the small rocky island Shadwan, where they were rescued the next day by the passing passenger ship Sumatra.

Charge

On board the Carnatic were located next to cotton and copper sheet metal plates and 40,000 pounds sterling in gold ( equivalent to about 1,000,000 pounds sterling in our time ), so that two weeks later, a salvage operation took place. It was officially reported that the gold had been fully recovered. The up to now holding rumors that not all treasures have been salvaged, contribute significantly to the myth of the wreck.

The wreck of the Carnatic is a popular diving destination today.