C-130 Hercules
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily — treat everything here as planning ranges.
A retired Royal Jordanian Air Force C-130 Hercules was sunk here in November 2017, settling upright and intact on the sand - and then the sea edited it. Winter storms have since broken the airframe, folding wings and opening the fuselage, and the damage improved the dive: what began as a parked aircraft now reads as a genuine crash tableau, cockpit agape, control yokes in place, light falling through torn aluminum. The cargo bay makes a wide, safe swim-through with exits everywhere, gentle enough for newer divers with a guide. Glassfish have claimed the flight deck and lionfish the wing roots. Shallow, calm, and minutes from the beach, it slots into almost any Aqaba itinerary and photographs far bigger than its depth suggests.
The moment you come for: An intact cockpit going feral; the cargo-bay swim-through; storm damage that made the site more atmospheric.
Topography: A four-engine transport aircraft on sand at about 17 meters
Entry: A short swim out near the Tank and Seven Sisters area; often paired with neighboring shallow sites in one dive.
Know before you splash
Hazards: Sharp torn aluminum around the breaks; mild surge inside the fuselage on windy days.
Nitrox: Worth it here — profiles sit in the range where enriched air meaningfully extends no-stop time (with the training to use it).
Who you'll meet
Clownfish & Anemonefish
Common Reef (Day) Octopus
Giant Moray Eel
Lionfish
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★★ · Macro: ★★☆☆☆ — editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting