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Shipwrecks of Nova Scotia

Kurdistan

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Kurdistan bow section
(Nova Scotia Museum)

 Kurdistan stern section
(Nova Scotia Museum)

The table below provides historical and statistical data on the vessel. Some of the information may be incomplete. If you have additions or corrections, please e-mail us at the address listed below.

Shipwreck Data

Vessel Name Kurdistan
Other Names  
Vessel Type British tanker
Owner Nile Steamship Company
Length / Beam / Draft (feet) 540' /  /
Tonnage  
Hull Construction Steel
Propulsion Oil / Screw
Cargo Bunker oil (29,662 tons)
Built 1973
Date of Loss March 15, 1979
Reason for Loss Broke in half in heavy seas and ice field
Fatalities None
Last Trip Point Tupper, NS to Quebec City
Wreck Location Vessel broke up in the Cabot Strait, 50 miles northeast of Sydney
Coordinates (Lat/Lon)  
Coordinates (Loran C)  
Water Depth (feet)  
Typical Visibility (feet)  
Wreck Condition  
Diving Considerations  
Other Information After the ship broke up, the crew was removed and the stern section was towed to Port Hawksbury. The bow section was deemed unsalvagable and was towed to deep water (2,600 fathoms) far off shore and scuttled. The incident resulted in a massive oil spill.
Attention Divers
The information on this page was obtained from a variety of sources. Although we have attempted to make it as accurate as possible, it may contain errors.  For your personal safety, use extreme caution when diving on this wreck.

For more information on this wreck's location and history, and water and diving conditions in the area, contact local dive shop personnel, dive charter boat operators and local fishermen. Also check out the other shipwreck sites listed on our Links page.


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