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A diving cruise from Port Sudan, Sudan, allows you to discover the Umbria, a mixed cargo ship that has carried up to 2000 passengers and 9000 tons of freight. Built in Hamburg, the Bahia Blanca, (her former name), was launched on 30 December 1911. The ship first operated between Hamburg and South America. In 1914, she was stranded in Buenos Aires and in 1918, an Argentinean shipowner bought her and the ship sailed again until 1935. The Bahia Blanca was sold to the Italian government and the ship changed its name to Umbria. For two years, the Umbria shuttles between Italy and its colonies in East Africa as a troop carrier for the army. Then, she is sold to an Italian company from Genoa, which refocuses its activity around the Mediterranean ports. In May 1940, the ship sailed from Genoa and then called at Livorno and Naples to load weapons into its holds. Then, the Umbria stopped first in Messina and then in Port Said, on June 3rd, to be supplied with water and coal.

The British tried to slow down the Umbria by creating administrative complications. They waited for Italy to declare war before seizing the ship's military cargo. Nevertheless, the Umbria resumed its course and crossed the Suez Canal. The Royal Navy had it followed by the ship HMS Grimsby. On 9 June 1940, off Sudan, Umbria was boarded by HMS Grimsby and escorted to the anchorage off Port Sudan, on Wingate Reef. On 10 June 1940, onboard the Umbria, Italian Captain Lorenzo Muiesan learned that Italy was officially entering the war on Germany's side. As he was still the only man on board who knew this information, the captain destroyed the documents in his possession. The ingenious captain organizes a drill to evacuate the crew from the ship ashore. He then scuttles the Umbria by opening the seawater intakes and the watertight doors of the holds. The Umbria sank and lay down on the port side along the reef. She now lies at a depth of 36 metres.

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