Dive beneath the surface long enough, and you’ll find more than marine life and coral… you’ll discover stories. Wrecks that once moved with purpose now rest in silence and wait patiently for curious divers to explore. These underwater relics are not just tragedies frozen in time; they’re mysteries that invite us to imagine what was, what could have been, and how nature has reclaimed them.
In this post, we’ll travel to some of the world’s most captivating wreck sites—places labeled “ghostly,” “haunted,” or simply mysterious—to explore their history, what makes them special today, and why divers keep returning to them.
SS Thistlegorm – Red Sea, Egypt
Lying quietly on the seabed in the Red Sea, the SS Thistlegorm is a haunting relic of World War II. Originally launched in 1940 as a British armed freighter, she was tasked with transporting vital supplies to Allied forces stationed in North Africa. But she never completed her mission. The SS Thistlegorm was sunk in 1941 by German bombers while carrying locomotives, rifles, motorcycles, and other cargo bound for the war effort.
Over decades, its chambers have become encrusted in coral, its steel skeleton softened by marine growth, and yet the echoes of her past are still tangible beneath the surface. Divers exploring this wreck glide through what feels like an underwater military museum, where artifacts remain nearly intact. At a depth starting at 52 feet, the SS Thistlegorm draws adventurers seeking history, mystery, and an unforgettable dive experience.
SS Yongala – Queensland, Australia
Now resting peacefully off the coast of Queensland, Australia, the SS Yongala is one of the country’s most intact wrecks. The 350-foot passenger steamer was en route from Melbourne to Tropical North Queensland when it sailed into the path of a powerful cyclone in 1911. Crew at the nearby Flat Top signal station attempted to warn the ship using flags and wireless telegrams, but the SS Yongala never received the message. She vanished with all 122 passengers and crew aboard. It was her 99th voyage.
The SS Yongala remained undiscovered on the seafloor for nearly 50 years. When it was finally located in the 1950s, divers found a remarkably intact vessel, draped in corals and teeming with marine life. With no clear answers and decades of silence beneath the surface, the SS Yongala invites divers into a story still partially untold.
SS Andrea Doria – Atlantic Ocean, off Nantucket, USA
The SS Andrea Doria was a symbol of postwar Italian elegance, making her way from Genoa to New York on a routine transatlantic crossing. On a foggy July night in 1956, just a day from her destination, she collided with the MS Stockholm off the coast of Nantucket. The impact tore a massive gash in her starboard side, and within minutes, the ship began to list dangerously. Thanks to the heroic efforts of nearby vessels, over 1,600 passengers were rescued in one of the most dramatic maritime rescues of the era. But 51 lives were lost, and by the next morning, the SS Andrea Doria had disappeared beneath the Atlantic.
The wreck has since gained a legendary status among divers. Located in deep, challenging waters, this wreck is sometimes called the “Mount Everest of wreck diving” for its depth, currents, and risk. Divers are drawn not just by the challenge but by the haunting elegance that still lingers in her twisted steel. A moment in time, preserved by the cold and dark.
HMS Victoria – Eastern Mediterranean (off the coast of Lebanon)
In June 1893, during routine exercises off the coast of Lebanon, the British Mediterranean Fleet was conducting complex maneuvers in a tight formation. In a tragic miscalculation, the battleship HMS Victoria was ordered to turn across the path of HMS Camperdown, which struck her with full force. The HMS Victoria’s bow was torn open, and within minutes, the ship sank bow-first, taking 358 men with her, including Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon, who had given the order.
What makes the wreck especially striking is its vertical posture. The bow is buried deep in the seafloor while the stern rises toward the surface, creating an eerie, almost tombstone-like silhouette in the blue. Discovered in 2004, this rare orientation lends it a haunting presence for the few technical divers who visit.
Bianca C – Grenada
The Bianca C was a 600-foot luxury cruise liner, outfitted with grand dining rooms, a swimming pool, and polished decks built for ocean crossings. In October 1961, while anchored just off the coast of Grenada, a sudden explosion in the engine room sparked a fire that quickly spread through the ship. The exact cause was never fully determined, adding a layer of mystery to her final hours. As flames consumed the vessel, local fishermen and boaters rushed in to rescue over 600 passengers and crew.
The Bianca C burned for two days before finally slipping beneath the surface, where she now rests at a depth of about 167 feet. The sheer scale of the wreck feels like a sunken city suspended in stillness. Divers can explore her collapsed stern, engine room, and scattered remnants of once-elegant promenades, all now draped in coral and patrolled by curious marine life.
Jake Seaplane – Palau
Scattered across the waters of Palau lie dozens of World War II wrecks, including ships, submarines, and aircraft left behind after fierce battles between Japanese and American forces. Many are deep, tangled in coral and shadowed by history. But just a short boat ride from Koror, resting gently in only 15 meters of water, is one of the lagoon’s most serene and photogenic sites. The Jake Seaplane.
Believed to be a Japanese Aichi E13A “Jake” reconnaissance aircraft, this wreck was discovered in the 1990s, remarkably intact and preserved by the sea. There are no confirmed records of a battle or emergency landing in this spot, which only deepens the mystery surrounding how it came to rest here. Coral has slowly begun to encrust the wings, and the propellers remain eerily frozen in place. For divers, especially beginners, it offers a gentle but emotionally charged glimpse into the past.
Bonus: Le Griffon – Lake Michigan (USA)
Built by French explorer La Salle in 1679, Le Griffon was the first full-sized European ship to sail the upper Great Lakes, and its disappearance remains one of the oldest maritime mysteries in North America. After departing Green Bay with a cargo of furs, she vanished without a trace. No distress signal, no confirmed wreckage, and no survivors. While the wreck itself hasn’t been confirmed, her story has inspired shipwreck hunters and historians for generations. For divers exploring Lake Michigan’s deep, cold waters, Le Griffon looms as a ghost ship. Sometimes the most haunting wrecks are the ones we still haven’t found.
These wrecks hold stories the sea never fully let go of. Divers visit these eerie sites not just to explore, but to connect with the past in a way only the ocean allows. Whether you’re descending onto a sunken warship or drifting over a forgotten seaplane, make sure you're geared up for the journey. Grateful Diver has the ocean-ready essentials to keep you protected on your spookiest dives. A portion of every purchase benefits Reef Relief, which helps maintain healthy and sustainable habitats for marine life.