Elhawi Star (ex-Tania, ex-Anemos, ex-Polaris, ex-Valeria); motor merchant ship; Saudi Arabia
Built: 1957, Stulcken & Sohn, Steinwerder, Germany
Sunk: 12th October 1982 (cargo loading error)
Dimensions: l=100.6 m, w=15.9 m, h=8.8 m
Coordinates: 45.31835° N, 14.43635° E
Location: in front of the Port of Rijeka, about 500 m from the entrance to Sušak harbour (Porto Baroš)
Access: 2/5 access is solely by boat (the location is in the open sea)
Visibility: 4/5 average, occasionally very good
Current: 3/5 mostly weak
Flora and fauna: 5/5 varied life on and around the wreck, often specimens of large fish


HISTORY:

In 1957 in the German shipyard Stulcken & Sohn for the client A. Kirsten & Co. from Hamburg a motor ship was built under the name of Valeria. The Valeria changed several owners and was given different names, until in 1981 the Saudi Arabian Elhawi Shipping Company from Jeddah bought it and changed its name again to the Elhawi Star.

On the morning of 12th October 1982 the Elhawi Star was moored along the Sušak port breakwater where port workers were loading of its 3,631 tonnes of ceramic tiles and 781 tonnes of timber. Departure was planned for early afternoon. The pilot was taken on board, and at 1515 hrs. with the help of the tugboats the Beli Kamik and the Aries the ship slowly left the Porto Baroš basin. The sea was completely calm, without wind and the Beli Kamik began to draw the stern of the Elhawi Star which was tilting at about six degrees to port which, when a ship is loaded to the top, is nothing unusual. Whilst pulling out of Sušak port the towline snapped and so a new rope was lowered from the ship. When the ship was some metres away from the main breakwater, it suddenly began to lean to starboard, so much so that after just a few minutes the sea was touching the main deck. The connection to the tugboat was cut at the moment when the ship was almost completely lying on its right side. The harnesses of the deck cargo broke and the timber and planks fell from the deck into the sea. Some crew members began to jump into the sea, whilst others hung from the ropes pushing themselves away from the side of the ship with their legs. The tugboats and nearby fishing boats rushed to rescue the crew which suddenly found themselves in the water, whilst the Elhawi Star with great fountains of bubbling sea disappeared from the surface. It sank at 1542 hrs., only 27 minutes after leaving the quayside and lay on its right side on the bottom. The air was mixed with crude oil which seeped from the ship long after it sank, various objects, wooden planks and ship equipment remained floating on the surface.

Examining the plan of the stowage of the cargo it was established that the main weight of the cargo was loaded on the main deck and between decks rather than in the lower holds, which disrupted the ship’s stability. The pulling of the tugboat on one flank of the ship was the smallest but sufficient manoeuvre so that the stability of the ship was so weakened that it led the ship to capsize on its side.


WRECK CONDITION AND DIVING:

The wreck on the seabed is at a depth of 42 metres. The left side is the shallowest and is located at a depth of 26 metres, so it can often be seen from a depth of just a dozen metres. The ship’s bow is directed to the west. Due to nearby estuary of the Rječina occasionally the visibility can be very poor, although visibility is satisfactory at ten or so metres. Occasionally, during or after the “bura” wind, visibility on the wreck can reach up to twenty metres, and so at that time diving is a special experience.

The wreck is in very good condition, because recreational diving to it began only a few years ago. The whole wreck looks very impressive, especially the bow on which one anchor is half-pulled from its seating and is partially thrown over the top of the bow. The anchor machinery is in situ, and parts of the ropes are still wound around the bitts. The covers to the hold disappeared long ago so the interior of the hold can be seen which is overfilled with packets of ceramic tiles. The packets were loaded in a way that they threaten to collapse and spill from the cargo hold, so it is better that we do not linger here too long. Behind the cargo hold is the large foremast which extends horizontally into the blueness.

All around the ship are large shoals of tiny fish, and in many places on the ship there rest really large groupers which are not in the least bit scared of the divers. The most interesting section is the bridge the windows of which have completely fallen out and in their place gap large holes through which it is possible to enter into the interior.

In the darkness of the bridge the pedestal with the radar screen is still visible, and in the central part is the intact base with the metal rudder wheel. This is a unique opportunity to film the area of the ship’s wheel, which is rarely seen on other wrecks. Through the doors of the bridge we can come out into the open and continue to explore towards the stern. Cargo winches, railings, navigation lights, searchlights, are all in situ as on the day of the sinking, and divers have a real unique opportunity to see a complete intact shipwreck, which today is a real rarity in the Adriatic. The rear cargo hold is also full of cargo and it is not advisable to stop there. After that we arrive at the small aft superstructure with its well-preserved railing and cargo winches. Swimming over the side we can see the rounded stern and drop down to the large four-bladed propeller and the blade of the rudder which is some 7-8 metres above the bottom.

We return via the left side which is also the shallowest part of the wreck, all the way to the rope which is permanently connected to the wreck and tied to a signal buoy. The Elhawi Star is surely one of the most beautiful and best preserved wrecks in Kvarner.


The description and illustrations are a courtesy of Danijel Frka and Jasen Mesić. Buy the whole book here: https://shop.naklada-val.hr/product_info.php?products_id=561