‘Greek Ship’ Digging Deeper in Kish

Date: 10 October 2023 - 21:46

News ID: ۱۲۰۱۶۵

TEHRAN – Sitting in the shallow waters off the coast of Iran’s Kish Island is the ghostly husk of a dead steamship that has not left its spot since 1966, and probably isn’t leaving any time soon.
Nicknamed the “Greek Ship”, it has become a captivating tourist attraction. Recently, it has begun to sink deeper, adding a touch of melancholy to its allure.
A notable landmark of the Hormozgan province, the rusting husk is actually the remains of a cargo ship formerly known as the Khoula F. The ship was originally built in Scotland in 1943, and known as the Empire Trumpet. She sailed all over the world during her operating life, changing hands and names on a regular basis. Her final owners, who were in possession of the craft when it was finally grounded in 1966, were Greek, which is how the ship eventually got the common name that it is known by today.
In 1966, the Khoula F ran aground and, despite efforts to drag her back out to sea, she was forever stuck in place. Ironically, she was on her way to Greece when she ran aground. According to legend, the owners set the ship on fire when they abandoned it, assumedly as a cheap form of ship-breaking.
It is hard to tell whether this is true today as time and rust have taken their toll on the haunting hulk. Portions of the ship are falling apart, and the whole thing is a rusting wreck. But even as a wreck it remains a scenic piece of trash, worth a visit if you can.