Origin and Construction: Long before her tragic fate in the Red Sea, the ship began her journey in France. Built in 1966 at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard under the name Fred Scamaroni, she was a 115 meter long French roll on roll off passenger ferry. Over two decades, she operated across the Mediterranean under various flag names including Nuits Saint George, Lord Sinai, and Al Tahra before being purchased in 1988 by Samatour Shipping Company and renamed the Salem Express.
The Fatal Night December 15, 1991: The Salem Express was making her regular run from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, back to the port of Safaga, Egypt. On board were hundreds of passengers, predominantly Egyptian families and pilgrims returning from Mecca after Hajj. Delayed by technical issues, the vessel was navigating through worsening winter storm conditions near midnight.
To make up for lost time, Captain Hassan Moro navigated through a southern shortcut near Hyndman Reef. In heavy seas, the ferry struck a shallow coral reef structure. The force of the impact ripped open the starboard bow section and forced the forward vehicle loading doors, known as the bow visor, wide open. Millions of gallons of seawater flooded the open car decks within seconds.
The Aftermath and Underwater Memorial: The ship listed sharply to her starboard side and sank in under 20 minutes, leaving no time to launch most lifeboats. Hundreds perished, while 180 survivors managed to reach land or were rescued in the morning light. Today, the site is recognized as a quiet underwater memorial. External dive explorations honor the loss of life by respecting strict preservation guidelines, keeping the wreck intact and preserved for generations.
