In 1977 the Blue Belt collided with Sha’ab Suedi Reef in the Red Sea and sank off the coast of northern Sudan. It took its cargo of cars and trucks to the bottom, where it is today known as the Toyota Wreck.
On the The Underwater And Diving Video Channel on YouTube, some intrepid explorers went diving around the wreckage and got some excellent up-close shots of the remains. The Aichi steel is long gone, but plastic is forever. Coral-encrusted dashboards, grilles and seats serve as the only reminder of the sunken cars. There’s something haunting about a seaweed-covered Corona instrument panel or Hilux grille serving as a condominium for aquatic wildlife. This isn’t even the only example of abandoned Toyotas in that region of the world.
That’s pretty amazing that just about everything is gone except for the non-metal bits. Not that I want to see any cars laying on the bottom of the ocean, but if that wreck would have happened even a half-dozen years earlier than 1977 it would have been even more painful to see.
There’s a legend about a boat load of Model T Fords sinking in Lake Superior in the early-1900s and supposedly they’re still intact because of the fresh water in Lake Superior instead of the salt water in an ocean. Of course, it’s probably just a myth.
That is a great little tidbit. According to my uncle who lived in Alaska for many years there is a small hard to access bay near Glacier Bay they call “Toyota bay” because the first Dungeness crabber to set pots in it caught enough crabs to buy his new Toyota pickup.
I take it that it was an accident. I can’t imagine someone doing this on porpoise, but the video seemed a little fishy. Are the ones swimming around them called shellfish? Actually wasn’t sure about some of the shells. Land Cruiser? Corala?
Also not sure about the coast, but looks like this sail fell through for Toyota.
Wonder if anyone was thinking, “That’ll buff out.”
Not much left there, but looked like there were some reef springs.
It would still be cool to dive them and practice your eel and toe technique.
Actually, it is sad to sea them there, but still better than ending up in a fjord.
Some good punnery there. Whale played.