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Main \\ Outdoor Activities \\ Water \\ Diving \\ Why Dive? \\
  Wrecks in the wrong place - The wreck of the Maidan

One of the wrecks to cause the most interest since the discovery of the Rosalie Moller is the Madian; official reports put her on Rocky Island, in Southern Egypt, near the Sudanese border. Ironically I had found the wreck several years ago; but failed to recognise her as the Maidan.


There have been several reports of her being found in less than 30 mtrs of water on the eastern side of Zabargad but although we have searched the area, we have found nothing, indeed there may be another wreck here, as Zabargad has at least two other wrecks we know of; The Neptuna and the Kanaka, and the fringing reefs may have entrapped several more vessels.


Built at Glasgow by W. Hamilton & Co, the Maidan was launched in March 1902. At 8,205 tons, and 152 mrts long, she was one of the biggest ships of her day. In 1919, she underwent a major refit, and a new 4 cylinder quadruple expansion engine, built by Messrs D. Rowan of Glasgow. This gave her an increased speed of 14 knots.


The Maidan was owned by T & J Brocklebank based in Liverpool,and earned a reputation plying the eastern Trade routes, sailing between European Ports and India.


The Final Voyage
On 21st May she left Calcutta with a full cargo, 7 passengers and crew of 100, Bound for Europe Captain Breen at the helm. Six days later, on 27th May they docked in what was then called Ceylon and, the on to Bombay by June 5th. Travelling through the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea. On June 7th, the Maidan made what was to be her final port of call to rebunker and take on more cargo in Port Sudan Two days later she set sail on the final leg of her last voyage.


The Official report of the sinking sites St. Johns Island and it is this fact which has mislead the search for the wreck.


Steaming north, the captain failed to take into consideration the effect of currents pushing the vessel to the west. Slowly, as night approached they closed on an unlit island. In the early hours of the 10th, an island loomed dead ahead and a course correction was made. There seems to be some discepency in the official records and it would appear that Rocky Island was confused with "St Johns Island".
Although evasive action was taken the ship struck coral reef and grounded. Despite several attempt to refloat the vessel, the passengers and crew were safely disembarked onto the island and finally taken on board another ship , the Warickshire. By 9am the maidan has slipped of the reef into deeper water with her full cargo still on board.


The ensueing enquiry did nothing to help with the relocation of the vessel.To the contrary, it suggested that the wreck lay off Rocky Island, in which case she would almost certainly be beyond reach.


The reference to ST Johns Island was the vital clue in the puzzle. The charts today shows an area known as ST. Johns Reef a few miles to the south. The Island of St Johns is in fact Zabargad. It was here that the mystery was to be solved.


During our early explorations around the area, we came across a Russian motor vessel close to shore, now identified, and with "rumours" that she was a spy ship! We were first drawn to the wreck by the presence of a lifeboat on the beach, and then by the sight of the wreck from the surface. It was (wrongly) assumed that the lifeboat was from the Russian wreck. Had I bothered to check I would have noticed that firstly the life boat was a "British pump action" lifeboat and far to big to fit the cradles on the Russian wreck! I also failed to notice a second life boat, this time on the opposite side of the bay; It would be another 12 months before I would see the Maidan.


The following year we returned to Zabargad and while exploring the island encountered a huge school of Hammerheads, cruising in a depth of 35 mtrs down into deeper water. Blessed with exceptional visibility, at 55 mtrs I could see the seabed below and the outline of a ship. With time and air getting low I had only a few minutes to gaze at the site below, and during the ascent planned to return. With the weather and time against us our exploration of the Island was cut short and we headed north to the Fury Shoals. It would be another 12 months before I would return.
A year later we returned to Zabargad and again encountering the Hammerheads decended to a depth of 55 mtrs; our strict limit as we were far from help if anything should go wrong. Again we had good visibility and I was able to sketch an outline of this merchant ship, sitting upright, with no visible damage her hatches still covered, and her masts in place. The temptation to go deeper was almost overwhelming, but common sense prevailed.


Returning home I began researching for contenders, with a reference to the Maidan in D.O.D.A.S I obtained a photograph of the vessel and comparing it with the sketch of the wreck itself, I am fairly certain this is the Maidan, although it will take an extended range dive with special training and equipment to verify this beyond a doubt. The clues will all be there. Its only a matter of time... and if it's not the Maiden then which vessel is it?

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