Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — With its charming nature that combines mangrove forests, mountains, valleys and coral reefs, Nabq Reserve is among the most beautiful reserves in Egypt, but what surprises its visitors most is a mysterious structure that emerges from the reserve’s coast, so what is its story?
At a distance of 500 km from the capital Cairo, the Nabq Nature Reserve is located on an area of 600 km in the area between the cities of Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab and Wadi Um Adawy in the South Sinai Governorate.
Within the reserve, the “Gharqana” attracts thousands of tourists to dive and watch coral reefs and colorful fish that are rare around the world.
The area was named following the wreck of a German merchant ship named “Maria Schroeder”, which collided with a fossilized coral reef in 1956, which led to its sinking immediately in front of the Nabq forests. Depth of 24 meters, according to the Egypt Geotourism Book.
The ship is still at the bottom of the sea, with all the tools used by sailors, and today this ship is considered an important destination for diving enthusiasts and as a shrine for tourists.
During his last trip to the Nabq Reserve, the Egyptian photographer Ahmed Emad spotted the scene of the sunken ship, which appears from afar as if it was divided in two.
In an interview with CNN in Arabic, Emad said that Nabq Nature Reserve is considered one of the most beautiful reserves in Egypt due to its unique calm, beauty and dense cover of mangroves.
Emad explained that the importance of the site is that it is a destination for diving and bird watching, as well as a haven that provides the opportunity for recreation and enjoyment of pristine nature.
Imad described the scene of the wreck of the “Maria Schroeder” ship, which protrudes from the water, as majestic, pointing out that he wanted to get closer to the wreck, but a Bedouin resident warned him once morest that because of the instability of the soil near the wreck.
Imad stated that the construction date of the steamer dates back to 1920, and it was originally called “Rolf Jarl”, and in August 1950, it was sold to a German soldier named Richard Schroeder in Hamburg, Germany, who named it “Maria Schroeder”.
In addition to documenting the wreck of the sunken ship, Imad was keen to show the density of mangroves in the reserve due to its environmental importance, according to him.
The Nabq Reserve is characterized by containing several important ecosystems, including coral reefs, marine and terrestrial organisms, and mangrove forests, in addition to desert, mountainous and valley ecosystems, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Environment.
It includes many animals such as deer, caribou, hyena, reptiles and many migratory and resident birds.