The Carnatic was a British transport and cargo ship powered by steam and sail, and was built in 1862 by Samuda Brothers in London.
In September of 1869, she was voyaging from Alexandria to Bombay with 34 passengers, 176 crew and a cargo of cotton bales, copper sheeting, Royal Mail, and £40,000 in coins. On September 12th, she ran aground and became stuck on the Sha’ab Abu Nuhas Reef off the coast of Egypt. Unable to wrench her free, Captain Jones decided to wait on the reef until a passing ship could provide assistance. He was aware that the Sumatra would soon be passing by.
However, on the night of September 14th, the ship’s hull began to crack apart and leak. Soon, those cracks turned into gaping holes and water flooded the helpless ship. Captain Jones began evacuating the passengers, when the ship suddenly broke in two, sending the stern of the ship and 31 people into the Red Sea. Soon after, the bow of the ship capsized and also sank.
The remaining survivors landed safely on Shadwan Island, where they boarded the Sumatra and were returned to Suez. The British sent a team to recover the ship’s cargo and were able to recover most of the coins.
The wreck site of the Carnatic remains a popular dive destination to this day.