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The Daily Insight

Is there a Blue Hole in Egypt?

Author

Mia Lopez

Updated on March 13, 2026

The Blue Hole is a diving location on the southeast Sinai, a few kilometres north of Dahab, Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea. Blue Hole seen from above. The area towards the sea is not "The Arch" but a shallow bank called "The Saddle".

What is the Blue Hole in Egypt?

The Blue Hole is a deep, natural sinkhole in the Gulf of Aqaba, just north of the South Sinai tourist town of Dahab. It is considered to be one of the most significant natural landmarks in Egypt. Geologists believe that this submarine sinkhole formed thousands of years ago during the melting of the last ice age.

Why are bodies left in Blue Hole Egypt?

The Story behind Diver's Cemetery at the Blue Hole

Family and friends of the divers who have lost their lives at the blue hole have left plaques in the rocks nearby the site to honor the death of their loved ones. The area now is considered a divers cemetery for those whose bodies were not found after their death.

How deep is the Egyptian Blue Hole?

The Blue Hole is a 120-metre-deep sinkhole, five miles north of Dahab. Its nickname is the “divers' cemetery”.

Are there bodies in the Blue Hole?

Two such adventurers were Irish technical divers Conor O'Regan and Martin Gara. The deep came calling before either turned 25. Their bodies were found locked in an embrace 102 metres deep into Dahab's infamous Blue Hole. Their bodies were found locked in an embrace 102 metres deep into Dahab's infamous Blue Hole.

Monty Halls' Dive Mysteries: The Curse of The Blue Hole | History Documentary | Reel Truth History

Who died in the Blue Hole?

A notable death was that of Yuri Lipski, a 22-year-old Russian diving instructor on 28 April 2000 at a depth of 115 metres after an uncontrolled descent. Lipski carried a video camera, which filmed his death.

Whats at the bottom of the Blue Hole?

The culprit was a thick layer of toxic hydrogen sulfide spanning the width of the entire sinkhole like a floating blanket. Erika Bergman: Underneath that there's no oxygen, no life, and down there we found conchs and conch shells and hermit crabs that had fallen into the hole and suffocated, really.

Why dont they recover bodies from the Blue Hole?

No marine life gets through this toxic layer. "Anything that fell into the hole decomposed until that process used up all of the oxygen below 290 feet," Bergman explained, adding that there is no oxygen below the layer, so any living thing becomes preserved.

Was David Shaw's body ever recovered?

On 12 January 2005, while others were recovering Shaw's technical equipment, they discovered the bodies of both Dreyer and Shaw had floated up close to the surface. Both bodies were then recovered.

What is the deadliest dive site in the world?

Here are four of the most commonly considered dangerous dive sites.

  • The Blue Hole, Dahab, Egypt. The Blue Hole in Dahab. ...
  • The Blue Hole, Lighthouse Reef, Belize. The Blue Hole is Belize's most iconic dive site. ...
  • Devil's Caves, Ginnie Springs, Florida, United States. ...
  • Cenote Esqueleto, The Temple of Doom, Tulum, Mexico.

Can you dive the Great Blue Hole?

The Great Blue Hole and Lighthouse Reef Atoll

Now you can dive the pristine southern reef of Belize and include the Blue Hole as part of your vacation.

What animals are in the Great Blue Hole?

Fauna. The Great Blue Hole is its varied marine life. Some species that you can come across include nurse sharks, Caribbean reef shark, butterfly fish, angel fish, midnight parrotfish and groupers. Turtles, parrotfish, angelfish, and butterfly fish.

How many blue holes are there?

Blue holes are sinkholes or underwater caves, typically circle-shaped, always with dramatically steep walls. And there are more blue holes on Andros than anywhere else on earth, with 175 of them inland and another 50 scattered around the shallow waters offshore.

What causes a blue hole?

What Makes a Blue Hole? Most blue holes are formed from sinkholes or caves that develop slowly over time, as rock begins to erode and collapse. Many blue holes were formed during the last Ice Age, after sea levels rose and filled existing sinkholes with water.

How was the Great Blue Hole formed?

The Blue Hole was formed at the end of the last Ice Age when rising seawaters flooded a series of enormous caverns. Geologists have determined that the caves first formed about 153,000 years ago and were completely submerged approximately 15,000 years ago.

Is there a hole in the ocean?

Scientists are flocking to Florida's Gulf Coast for a glimpse of a mysterious 425-feet-deep "blue hole" on the ocean floor. The glowing mystery hole, about 155 feet below the water's surface, is similar to the sinkholes seen on solid land, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Can you swim in a blue hole?

The Blue Hole Swim Area (3 acres) is open for swimming starting Weekends in May, every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and weekends in September - fees apply. Our two time slots are 9 am to 1 pm or 2 to 6 pm.

What did Richard Branson find in the Blue Hole?

Belize Great Blue Hole: World's Biggest Ocean Sinkhole Has Plastic at Bottom. Richard Branson has found plastic at the bottom of the world's biggest ocean sinkhole.

Are there sharks in the Great Blue Hole?

There are multiple types of shark brimming in the area. Species such as the Caribbean Reef shark, bull sharks, black tip sharks, giant groupers, nurse sharks and hammerhead sharks can all be found navigating through the waters.

How many free divers have died?

Free diving is dangerous, and in some cases deadly sport. There are about 5,000 free divers around the world, and an estimated 100 die each year.

Do scuba divers get eaten by sharks?

Although Sharks are carnivorous, they do not preferentially prey on scuba divers, or even humans. Sharks do attack humans, but such attacks are extremely rare! A person's chance of being attacked by a shark in the US is 1 / 11.5million and the chances of being killed is less that 1 / 264.1 million.

How deep do you dive in the Blue Hole?

Maximum Depth: 130ft/40m. Open water divers go to 70ft on the first dive which is the Blue Hole. Experience Level: Blue Hole Dive Site: Open Water Divers go to 70ft. Divers with advanced certification go to 130ft.

Can beginners dive the Blue Hole?

You cannot do a first dive at the Blue Hole. You have to have a few dives under your belt. We were certified months before our trip, and hired a private guide to do 6 dives around AC before we attempted Blue Hole. We did just fine, although my husband ran out of air so that was a little scary.