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The Four Wrecks
of Labuan
Great Wreck Exploration
off Labuan (please click)
Marine Park
(please click)
The
Australian Wreck |
| Name |
SS De KLERK |
| Type |
Cargo/Passenger Steamer |
| Dimensions |
L85 m, B12 m, DR6 m (approx) |
| Year Built |
1900 |
| Built By |
Unknown |
This wreck lies south west of Rusukan Besar Island about 23
km from Labuan and is anything but Australian. It is the wreck
of a cargo and passenger steamer originally named SS De KLERK,
built in Amsterdam in 1990 and plying what was then the Dutch
West Indies. During World War II the Dutch scuttled the ship
to prevent it from falling into Japanese hands. But the Japanese
salvaged the ship and renamed it the "Imbari Maru". In 1949
while on a voyage to Manila it struck a mine off Labuan and
sank. 339 passengers lost their lives, mostly workers and prisoners
of war. The wreck lies on the sea bed under 21 meters of water.
Experienced divers will enjoy exploring the interior of the
wreck. Others will appreciate the variety of marine life around
it, including soft corals, lion fish and seldom-seen frog fish.
It is a good subject for underwater photography. |
| The
American Wreck |
| Name |
USS Salute |
| Type |
US Navy Minesweeper |
| Dimensions |
L184ft, B33 ft, DR9ft |
| Year Built |
1943 |
| Built By |
Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding
Co. Seattle, Washington DC, USA |
This wreck lies south-east of Rusukan Kecil Island, 1.4 km away
from the Australian wreck and about 24 km from Labuan. It is
the "USS SALUTE", a US Navy Minesweeper built in Seattle, Washington
in 1943. It was first put into service in Hawaii in 1944 escorting
convoys between Pearl Harbor and several ports in the Far East.
Later it was involved in intense action, providing protection
for anti-aircraft vessels and submarine, as well as minesweeping.
After several minesweeping operations in the Philippines, the
ship began operating in Brunei Bay where it struck a mine in
1945. Nine US sailors lost their lives when she sank. |
| The
Cement Wreck |
| Name |
MV Tung Hwuang |
| Type |
Freighter |
| Dimensions |
L92 m, B15 m, DR7 m (approx.) |
| Year Built |
Unknown |
| Built By |
Unknown |
The "TUNG HWANG" is a freighter that sank while transporting
cement to Brunei for the Sultan's new palace. It hit the Samarang
Bank and sank as it tried to reach Labuan for repairs. Fortunately,
no lives were lost. The wreck now lies east of Kuraman Island
and just 21 km from Labuan. It has settled in an upright position.
It is the easiest wreck to navigate, making it ideal for training
in wreck diving. Divers can swim around in the cargo hold and
docks. There is a great variety of marine life to be found here
including barracuda, turtles, lion fish and reef fish. Soft
and hard corals grow on the surface of the wreck, which makes
this the best Labuan wreck for underwater photography. |
| The
Blue Water Wreck |
| Name |
Mabini Padre |
| Type |
Stem Trawler |
| Dimensions |
L80 m, B12 m, DR6 m (approx.) |
| Year Built |
Unknown |
| Built By |
Unknown |
This wreck lies northeast of Kuraman Island and is 34 km from
Labuan. It gets its name from the very clear "blue" waters it
lies. Of all the wrecks, this one has the best visibility. The
wreck is the "MABINI PADRE", a large Philippines fishing trawler,
which caught fire and sank in 1981. It is an interesting site
for divers as it is completely intact. It also supports a wealth
of marine life like soft corals, grouper and bat fish. |
Great
Wreck Exploration off Labuan (please click)
Marine Park
(please click) |
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