Dive to ''San Didier' Wreck'' sank in 1942 off the coast of Antalya-Turkey.Thanks to Hakan Oniz and his UW Archeology team who made this dive possible on 28 August 2013 . This was not an intended video shot as I attached the GoPro Hero 3 on my Aquatica Housing for Nikon D90.
THE STORY OF THE WRECK quoted from
www.antalyainfo.org/eng/antaly...
''In the Summer of 1942s, in order to take the North African war under control, the allies were showing their determination to defeat Rommel, the German general.
Whatever the cost might have been, the allies were determined to cut his supply routes, and isolate Rommel. Though Turkey seemed neutral, her sympathy for the allies and her declaration of war with Japan made its shores unsafe for the axis forces. The same danger was also valid for the French navy which served the Germans. As autumn was approaching, a French support ship with a destroyer escorting it, was running away from the heavy bombing of the allied planes. It had come close to the shores of Antalya, but that wasn't the end of her escape. The planes continued their chase as far as Adrasan Bay. Thinking that it would be a suicide to remain together with the support ship, the destroyer left the ship. The only thing to do for the 'Society' was to take refuge in Antalya Bay. But the result wasn't as had been expected. The people of Antalya, from the strong points in Karaoglu Park watched in surprise the ship being bombed, the explosion of its ammunition and its sinking nose down after being torpedoed, and leaving a lot of dead. The fishermen of Antalya acted right away and tried to save the wounded and collected the bodies. This ship which looked like a hospital support ship, contained ammunition and some vehicles suitable for desert conditions. For camouflage the sailors weren't wearing uniforms and while getting help from the fishermen, they tried to take their personal belongings with them, for these reasons the ship was called "High Society Sunken Ship".
This ship,whose real name was "San Didier" has been lying under a buoy around a hundred meters from Antalya Yacht Harbour.The bow of the ship had turned south, and the deck to north at a depth of 18 -34 meters and inclined about 35 degrees to starboard.The ship is about 70 meters in length. Between the years 1946 and 1974 most of its equipment and the human skeletons were brought up. If we consider hundreds of dives and bringing up of other equipment, it wouldn't be wrong to say that there isn't much left to take out. Still, it attracts the attention of wreck divers. In order to make a dive, it is necessary to get permission from Antalya Governership and the Sea Police. Another important point to note is its being close to the harbor and lies in rather crowded sea traffic.