S.N.V. Al Munnassir

The "Al Munnassir" was built in UK by Brook Marine of Lowestoft and commissioned into service with the Royal Navy of Oman in January 1979. Built as a tank landing ship she had a displacement of 2991.5 tonnes and measures 84.1 ,etres in length, with a beam of 14.9 metres. She was initially armed with on 4.5 inch rapid fire gun forward and twin 20mm Oerlikon guns on either side of the superstructure. She also operated a Sea King from a stern heldideck (although she was not equipped with a hangar). Below decks her cavernous payload bay (accessed via her bow doors) was designed to carry a variety of military vehicles including main battle tanks. She had additional accommodation for troops. In 1987 she was transferred into the reserves and became the Harbour Training Ship at SBSNB Wudam, where she served until decommissioned in 2002. After decommissioning, when her armament and the large loading crane formerly aft of her superstructure were removed, she was offered by the Royal Navy of Oman as an artifical reef as part of Eco Tourism and Dive project. Apart from the removal of her armament and most of her electronics little other preparation was undertaken before her sinking and so she represents a virtually intact wreck. She was sunk on 21st April 2003, using scuttling charges, settling stern first onto the bottom. Now she is upright on the ground in about 30m depth. Bommie Bay south of Bandar Khayran. S.N.V. Al Munnassir is also known as Lima 1, Al Munnassir Wreck.