THERE are eerie tales about ‘Georgios G’, a mysterious British-made cargo ship that ran aground off the coastal city of Tabuk, north-west of Saudi Arabia, almost four decades ago and the bizarre circumstances which surrounded efforts to salvage the cargo of the vessel.
The wreckage of the ship, dubbed by some Saudis as the ‘Saudi Titanic,’ is one of the main tourist attractions in Hakal province, Sada Tabuk reported.
‘Georgios G’ was built in England after the end of the Second World War, and in 1958 was launched as a cargo liner owned by several individuals and companies.
The vessel was owned by a Greek company during its doomed trip, when it got stranded on corals off the Saudi coast in 1978 carrying a cargo of flour.
The ship, caught on the corals of the coast, was stuck due to the narrow route available to navigate. The steep, mountain edge rising from the sea made the passage through the valley difficult to maneuver through.
Saudi businessman Amer Mohamad Al-Sanousi had purchased the vessel before the accident. However, unfortunate to him, the vessel caught fire after the crash caused by an ignition spark while technicians were trying to restart the engine. The flames lasted several days until they subsided, after which they destroyed everything in the ship, except iron parts.
‘Georgios G’ now remains in its place on the reef after the tragedy, and has become to be known as the Saudi Titanic. — Al Arabiya English
