Explore the SS Minnewaska shipwreck in Souda Bay, Crete – a WWI British troopship sunk in 1916. Ideal dive for all levels with rich maritime history.Beneath the waters of Souda Bay, Crete, lies the wreck of the SS Minnewaska, a former luxury steam liner turned WWI troopship. Today, at a depth of 19 meters, this site offers an accessible dive and a remarkable historical experience.

From Transatlantic Liner to War Service

• Built in Belfast by Harland & Wolff, Minnewaska was launched on 12 November 1908 and completed in 1909.
• She was part of a “Minne-class” of ocean liners, operated by the Atlantic Transport Line on the London–New York route.
• Her dimensions: about 183 m long, with a beam of 20 m. 
• Powered by twin quadruple-expansion steam engines, she could make about 16 knots.
• Converted into a British troopship during WWI, transporting soldiers and artillery.
• Armed with a defensive stern-mounted gun.

“SS” stands for Steam Ship, indicating steam-powered propulsion.

The Mine Strike – 29 November 1916

On 29 November 1916, while traveling from Alexandria, Egypt, to Thessaloniki, carrying ~1,800 troops and 200 crew, the Minnewaska hit a floating mine, about 1.5 nautical miles southeast of Souda Bay (Crete). 

• Captain Thomas F. Gates made a crucial decision: instead of abandoning ship immediately, he steamed full speed to shore beaching the ship to prevent sinking.
• Evacuation took two hours and was carried out by several vessels: the trawler Danestone, drifters Principal, Trustful, and Deveronside, plus the destroyer HMS Grampus.
• All lives saved.
• Gates was awarded the Order of the British Empire for leadership.

After the Incident

• By 1918 she was sold for scrap, and parts of the wreck were broken up on site, though some remains still lie underwater.
• Remains of the wreck are still visible, forming part of Crete’s underwater heritage.

Historical Link: Her service ties into major historical events — troop movements in WWI, maritime warfare, and the broader story of how ocean liners were repurposed in war.

Diving Legacy: As a dive site, Minnewaska gives divers a “time capsule” — it’s not just a wreck, but a piece of history where visitors can trace history underwater.

Engineering & Design: Built by Harland & Wolff (the same firm that built the Titanic), her design reflects early 20th-century ocean-liner technology.