Wreck
down to 55 m
HMS Hermes
The world's first purpose-designed aircraft carrier, lying 40-53 m off Batticaloa and a designated war grave.
- Technical
Advanced≤30 m
SS British Sergeant
Dive site in Trincomalee & East Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
A 1942 WWII tanker wreck in two sections on sand at 24 m off Pasikudah, home to lionfish, grouper, morays and nudibranchs.
- Max depth
- 25 m
- Level
- Advanced
- Best months
- Mar–Sep
- Entry
- By boat
The story
Built in 1922 by Palmer's, the tanker SS British Sergeant was attacked and sunk by Japanese aircraft during the Indian Ocean raid on 9 April 1942. The wreck now lies in two main sections on a sandy bottom in 24 m.
Source: divernet.com
The dive
A wreck dive from a boat. Known for nudibranchs.
Who it's for
Advanced≤30 mSource: srilankadivingtours.com
Recommended minimum: Advanced (PADI Advanced Open Water, N2).
- DepthThe usual dive goes deeper than lower certifications allow.
Conditions
- Dive type
- Wreck
- Environment
- Open water
- Water
- Sea water
What you might see
- Nudibranchs
- Groupers
- Lionfish
- Moray eels
Season in Trincomalee & East Sri Lanka
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Good
- Possible
- Closed
- Not documented yet
Best months: Mar–Sep.
Source: padi.comWhere is Trincomalee & East Sri Lanka?
The point shows the Trincomalee & East Sri Lanka area, not the exact dive site.
More dives in Trincomalee & East Sri Lanka
Wreck
down to 8 m
Boiler Wrecks
Coral-covered boiler wrecks at 4-8 m off Batticaloa, used for Open Water training and Discover Scuba dives.
- Open Water
Reef
down to 18 m
Eel Rock
A 12-18 m rock 2.5 km from Uppuveli, known locally for its moray eels.
- Open Water
- Moray eels
Reef
down to 12 m
Pigeon Island West
Shallow 1-12 m reef at Pigeon Island West with table, staghorn, leaf, brain and mushroom soft corals.
- Open Water
- Blacktip reef sharks
Reef
down to 12 m
Sardine Tooth
A 1-12 m reef known in Tamil as Sala pallu, famous for its soft corals.
- Open Water
Wreck
down to 24 m
SLNS Weeraya
A Sri Lankan navy gun boat sunk off Trincomalee in 2020, 11-24 m, with the Shanghai-class SLNS Jagatha 10-20 m away.
- Advanced
About this page
Values marked “Estimated” come from our original catalogue and are being checked against published sources one by one. Sourced values link to where they come from. Conditions change with the season, the weather and the tide: confirm with a local dive centre before you dive.