POSITION 38° 09' 51'' N 12° 46' 73'
The hulk lies on a sandy seabed about 45 and
50 metres depth, in a small area between “Punta Spadillo”
and “Punta Fobice”, called the “Firriato”
(Sicilian word that means “turned”)
HISTORY
On June 30th 1978, a Cypriot cargo ship of 783 tons sailed from
Siracusa to Brindisi. Here, on July 5th 1978, it sailed again to
Nigeria. The Captain of the “Kent” was a Greek and the
rest of the crew was 10 people: 2 from Greece, 1 from Ghana, 5 from
Pakistan, 2 from Zambia and the Greek owner Tsourunakis Thomas.
On July 7th 1978, at 4 p.m. o’clock blew a fire in the engines
room. The crew was not able to extinguish the fire so decided to
go away with a lifeboat. Two guard ship of the port authorities
and a fishing motor boat helped them. On July 8th 1978 two tug boat
tried to extinguish the fire but nothing: at 11:40 a.m. the “Kent”
sinks in front of the “Tonnara” of San Vito Lo Capo
(TP).
The boat sinked with 20 tonnes of polyethylene bags, 1400 Kg of
cigarettes, 15 tonnes of mosquito repellents and several holy books
of the Koran: for this reason is was called “NAVE DEI CORANI”
(“Korans Boat”).
DIVING
The hulk visiting is a bit difficult but it is worth to see
it because is very interesting. It is a good idea, prepare more
than one draft to visit the hulk in a better way, so you can look
at it with care. Visit the inner side is not very easy but carefully
it can be done. Through a little door, near the boat poop deck,
you can enter in a sort of aisle and continuing arrive where from
several holes you can go in the various service rooms of the boat.
The hold contain the what remain of the original load and fixed
on the bow bulkhead you can see the propeller and the anchor. |
