Deepwater, and other members of the DSDC (Desert Sport Divers Club) of Dubai are going for the fifth attempt at diving the U-533 on Friday 25th May. Deepwater and teamfirst found the wreck some years back in 2000, and did the following write up:
The DSDC team have attempted to dive this wreck several times and due to strong currents and other conditions it has not been possible. The U-533 went down in October 1943 when it was was attacked by an American PBY-5A Catalina of VP-84/P-5. Three of U-533´s gun crew were injured by the Catalina's .30 cal. gunfire. They were: (Bootsmaat Buttkus, Matrosengefreiter Ludwig and Matrosengefreiter Fekken). U.533's destruction had an amazing sequel, when the only survivor of U.533 finding himself in the water, and spurred on by the fear of sharks swam 20 miles in 28 hours until he reached Khor-Fakkam on the Muscat coast!
All of them went again out to sea and Buttkus and Ludwig perished with the boat the following October.
a. Depth 110 metres
b. Surrounding seabed is sand
c. Ocean environment – open sea, 40 km from nearest landmass
Technical information for type IXC/40
Displacement:
(tons)
1120 (sf)
1232 (sm)
1545 (total)
Length: (m)
76,76 oa
58,75 ph
Beam: (m)
6,86 oa
4,44 ph
Draught: (draft)
4,67 m
Height:
9,60 m
Power: (hp)
4400 (sf)
1000 (sm)
Speed:
(knots)
19 (sf)
7,3 (sm)
Range:
(miles / knots)
13850/10 (sf)
63/4 (sm)
Torpedoes:
22
4/2 (bow / stern tubes)
Mines:
44 TMA
Deck gun:
105/45
110 rounds
Crew:
48-56 men
Max depth:
ca. 230 m
(755 feet)
Displacement:
(tons)
1120 (sf)
1232 (sm)
1545 (total)
Length: (m)
76,76 oa
58,75 ph
Beam: (m)
6,86 oa
4,44 ph
Draught: (draft)
4,67 m
Height:
9,60 m
Power: (hp)
4400 (sf)
1000 (sm)
Speed:
(knots)
19 (sf)
7,3 (sm)
Range:
(miles / knots)
13850/10 (sf)
63/4 (sm)
Torpedoes:
22
4/2 (bow / stern tubes)
Mines:
44 TMA
Deck gun:
105/45
110 rounds
Crew:
48-56 men
Max depth:
ca. 230 m
(755 feet)
Join me in wishing them luck for a successful dive.
After 3 long years of searching, training, 1 trip to a chamber and broken
heart , we finally found the the wreck of the U-533 in the Gulf of Oman.
The U-533 went down in October 1943 and no one had seen it until Friday.
Our team headed out on a Dhow at 1 am on Thursday to the site We arrived at
5:30 am tired and excited as no one had really slept well the night before.
My buddy for this dive was Phi Le , whom most of you know. After an hour of
searching , the first team of divers went down on CCR.
Now , this sub lies at 110 meters !!!!!! Pretty deep but we had been
training for ages to dive to this depth. By training I mean , dives between
75-84 meters every weekend for nearly 14 months.
As the first divers surfaced , we were greeted by a " HEY....WE FOUND
HER!!!!" I could not belive my ears as it has been our project for nearly 3
years now. Phi and I waited for about another two hours for the second wave
of divers to get in , which seemed like an eternity.
Finally, it was time for us to dive. Phi and I geared up on the chase boat
and headed toward the shot line that was on the wreck.
For this dive , Phi was using the KISS rebreather with 2 bail out tanks. I
had ,( funny part to most !!)
1. Twinset with 10/70.
2. 80 cuft with 10/70 for to use on the bottom.
3. 7 ltr with 35/25.
4. 80cuft with 50%
5. 80cuft with 100%.
Phi and I started our decent and at 88m we were greeted by the biggest
pelagics I had ever seen. As we carried on , our 18 watt HIDs with the EKPP
reflector cut through the darkness like a light sabre. There she was , the
U-533 in all its glory. Sad ,silent but happy that we found her. It is still
a grave to the sailors still inside. We did not have long at that depth. We
left after 12 mins, but I will never for get the sight of it all. The prop
was on the sea bed which was at 115m but the rudder was still in tact . From
a distance I could just about make out the conning tower . We had 112 mins
of deco to carry out.
The deco went well with no problems. On surfacing we all felt a great sense
of achivement . Once we got back to the harbor, un loaded the kit , we all
met up for a quick celebration drink before the drive home ( ice tea for
most). It was at this point that we thought of John Bennett and his words to
us. John had dived with us 3 years ago, so his death a few months beforehand was devastating news to us.
His words to us were " Team work, its what makes it happen".
In memory of John Bennet. A friend whom I owe a lot to.
The DSDC team have attempted to dive this wreck several times and due to strong currents and other conditions it has not been possible. The U-533 went down in October 1943 when it was was attacked by an American PBY-5A Catalina of VP-84/P-5. Three of U-533´s gun crew were injured by the Catalina's .30 cal. gunfire. They were: (Bootsmaat Buttkus, Matrosengefreiter Ludwig and Matrosengefreiter Fekken). U.533's destruction had an amazing sequel, when the only survivor of U.533 finding himself in the water, and spurred on by the fear of sharks swam 20 miles in 28 hours until he reached Khor-Fakkam on the Muscat coast!
All of them went again out to sea and Buttkus and Ludwig perished with the boat the following October.
a. Depth 110 metres
b. Surrounding seabed is sand
c. Ocean environment – open sea, 40 km from nearest landmass
Technical information for type IXC/40
Displacement:
(tons)
1120 (sf)
1232 (sm)
1545 (total)
Length: (m)
76,76 oa
58,75 ph
Beam: (m)
6,86 oa
4,44 ph
Draught: (draft)
4,67 m
Height:
9,60 m
Power: (hp)
4400 (sf)
1000 (sm)
Speed:
(knots)
19 (sf)
7,3 (sm)
Range:
(miles / knots)
13850/10 (sf)
63/4 (sm)
Torpedoes:
22
4/2 (bow / stern tubes)
Mines:
44 TMA
Deck gun:
105/45
110 rounds
Crew:
48-56 men
Max depth:
ca. 230 m
(755 feet)
Displacement:
(tons)
1120 (sf)
1232 (sm)
1545 (total)
Length: (m)
76,76 oa
58,75 ph
Beam: (m)
6,86 oa
4,44 ph
Draught: (draft)
4,67 m
Height:
9,60 m
Power: (hp)
4400 (sf)
1000 (sm)
Speed:
(knots)
19 (sf)
7,3 (sm)
Range:
(miles / knots)
13850/10 (sf)
63/4 (sm)
Torpedoes:
22
4/2 (bow / stern tubes)
Mines:
44 TMA
Deck gun:
105/45
110 rounds
Crew:
48-56 men
Max depth:
ca. 230 m
(755 feet)
Join me in wishing them luck for a successful dive.