Stroll through the corridors of the cargo ship among the shimmeringly colored barbers…
The Astrée was a steel steam-powered coal cargo ship built in 1921 in England. Under its original name Bellbro, it was owned by the Halifax Shipping Corporation based in Hull. It measured 87 meters long by 13 meters wide and had a tonnage of 2147 tons.
In 1939, the ship came under the control of the Société Maritime Nationale as part of the war effort and was assigned to the transport of heavy goods (coal, ore) in the Western Mediterranean (Oran) and on the Atlantic (Casablanca).
On board, the crew consisted of 26 sailors, including two gunners tasked with protecting the ship from enemy aircraft. On December 5, 1942, the Astrée was requisitioned by the Germans, transferred to the Italians and renamed Siena, then recaptured by the Germans.
On May 1, 1944, arriving from Barcelona with a load of iron ore, she was torpedoed near Port-Vendres by the English submarine HMS Untiring.
Today, the wreck lies upright on its keel at a depth of 47 meters. The two forward holds are destroyed, but the rest of the ship and the bow are fairly well preserved.
The wreck is accessible to supervised N2 divers.
In 1939, the ship came under the control of the Société Maritime Nationale as part of the war effort and was assigned to the transport of heavy goods (coal, ore) in the Western Mediterranean (Oran) and on the Atlantic (Casablanca).
On board, the crew consisted of 26 sailors, including two gunners tasked with protecting the ship from enemy aircraft. On December 5, 1942, the Astrée was requisitioned by the Germans, transferred to the Italians and renamed Siena, then recaptured by the Germans.
On May 1, 1944, arriving from Barcelona with a load of iron ore, she was torpedoed near Port-Vendres by the English submarine HMS Untiring.
Today, the wreck lies upright on its keel at a depth of 47 meters. The two forward holds are destroyed, but the rest of the ship and the bow are fairly well preserved.
The wreck is accessible to supervised N2 divers.