While it is well-known that Lebanon has lots of breathtaking historical sites, who would have thought of the intriguing spot we have under a 34 meters depth? This is the case of the sunken french submarine “The Souffleur”. The Souffleur was built in the Arsenal of Cherbourg and was launched on the first of October, 1924.
The submarine was a U-Boat Classe Requin (Shark class). Nine of these U-Boats were launched between 1925 and 1926. The Souffleur was used by the french navy and had a depth capacity of up to 80 meters deep. Structure wise, however, it was like a conventional submarine.
During that one year between the beginning of the world war II in 1939 and the German and French ceasefire in 1940, all the nine submarines would navigate around the mediterranean sea and would sometimes pass through the French and North African coast.
However, in June 1941, the British and French forces occupied Syria and Lebanon, and the Souffleur was sunk by a British submarine (HMS Parthian) during the battle.
Today, its wrecks can be found at about 40 meters deep, at Khalde Bay (about 10 minutes from Beirut) and you will only be able to reach it by taking a boat from Beirut. As soon as you arrive, you will directly see one of the British torpedoes still attached to it and the other to its side on the bottom.
Even though this area is in a very good condition, access to it is difficult and it is rarely visited. In addition to that, many types of fish, rays, and marine animals, in general, will always be around no matter the time of the visit, making it harder for some people to take on this adventure.
This is why, even though everyone is encouraged to visit the site, some cautions always need to be taken to ensure a safe visit. Always check for currents, wind, and waves, and decide beforehand if your skills are suitable for the experience.
If you still think that this is for you, then go ahead. It will be an adventure like no other!
