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UPY 2026 Wrecks - Commended
'Where silence weighs tons, and giants sleep.'
Anastasia Schmuck
The Italian steamship Bengasi was torpedoed on May 6, 1941, by the British submarine Truant, sinking less than a mile from Isola dei Cavoli, Sardinia. Once part of Mediterranean supply routes operated by Tirrenia, the ship lost its bow and went down shortly after the attack. Now resting upright at 93 meters, the 85-meter-long wreck is remarkably intact, giving the illusion of a vessel still in motion. The stern rises dramatically with the propeller, rudder, and deck gun intact, while the forward holds are filled with glassware, earning it the nickname “the wreck of the glasses.”
This was my deepest dive to date, made possible by rare conditions of calm seas and zero current.
Judge's comment: Inspiring atmosphere with coordinated, eye drawing lighting in a ‘less is more’ way, this image was a particular favourite of mine. A very powerful wreck garnished with the shoaling fish. Knowing now that it was shot at 93 metres makes it even more awesome.
Peter Rowlands
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