Tomb of the Lost

Chapter THIRTY SEVEN



The divers entered the water in pairs as usual. Peter Dennis’ ribs were still too sore following the punch he’d received. A doctor in Gabes had yesterday diagnosed the possibility that his ribs were probably cracked, possibly broken. He had wanted to send Dennis to a hospital in Tunis for x-rays but Dennis had refused due to the lack of time the team could afford. He had been prescribed with strong painkillers and had been told to stay out of the water until at least the bruising had gone. Dennis was furious. He knew it would be at least a week. This morning he had tried to convince them that he was fit enough and after an argument with Natalie Hutchinson had invited him to suit up.

On his own.

Without help.

Dennis had put on a show of bravado, for their benefit mainly, but as he’d swung the oxygen tank over his shoulder to put it onto his back the pain from his ribs had made him gasp and he’d dropped it.

“You’re not fit enough,” Natalie had said.

“No I just didn’t have the right grip that’s all.”

“Nice try,” Natalie said.

Finally Hutchinson had ruled against the journalist and a dejected Peter Dennis watched once again as the diving team disappeared beneath the waves. Natalie pairing with one of the ship’s crew.

The dive was for a little known wreck. The ‘Volante’ had it marked on the chart only as a question mark. At one hundred and seventy feet the divers found the seabed. At first the team found it dark but after a while their eyes became adjusted. The water at this depth appeared deep blue. Starfish crawled along the sea floor. Apart from them it appeared to be devoid of life.

Above on the ship Peter Dennis, Jim Hutchinson and the Captain watched the monitors. The one they were most interested in showed an ordnance survey style mapping of the seabed. At the edge of the screen the lines ran out.

“That is deep ocean, just there,” Ali said, “Now, the wreck the divers are going to be working on is sitting, sort of perched on a rocky outcrop. Little is known about it. It hangs over very deep water.”

“How deep?” Hutchinson and Dennis asked at the same time.

“It is believed to be over six hundred feet. No one has ever bothered to investigate it because it is considered to not be of interest or importance. The Tunisian navy and of course merchant shipping are aware of its position so they avoid it but apart from them I don’t know that its ever been touched, certainly not by treasure seekers.”

“Can you bring up any more information on any of the monitors?”

“Information?”

“Can you improve any of the images? Get us closer.”

“I’ll try, Ali said.

He began clicking with a mouse and typed some key words in on a keyboard. It brought the graph up larger on the screen. Hutchinson leaned in closer.

“The distortion you can see is the shipwreck itself.”

He could see the outlines of what appeared to be a sunken ship. It looked to be big.

“This has to be it,” he said to the screen.

Dennis typed ’Tangipito’ into the laptop and brought up the one known image of the freighter on a search engine. He moved the laptop next to the monitor. They all studied the contours. There were similarities.

“You know,” Hutchinson said, “Some years ago Turkish fighter jets flew over mount Ararat and photographed what appeared to be a massive boat like shape on the mountain’s slopes.”

Ali nodded.

“They now think that is the resting place of Noah’s ark from the bible.”

Dennis looked at them both.

“Now that would make a story.”

Hutchinson was about to tell them to stick to the matter iin hand when the radio crackled and a female voice cut in.

“Jim I think we’ve found something.”

Hutchinson picked up the headset and spoke into the microphone.

“Hutchinson here. What have you found Natalie?”

“At first guess George thinks it’s a freighter.”

The excitement on the ’Volante’ bridge quickened.

“Are you able to read a name?”

“No there’s too much gunk and stuff covering it but George thinks it looks a lot like your photograph. He’s giving me the thumbs up down here big time.”

Hutchinson felt himself breaking out into a sweat. He loosened his tie and undid the top button on his shirt.

“Can you use your head cams?”

“It’s very murky Jim. I’ll put mine on now. Don’t think you’re going to get much. It’s on now.”

Hutchinson nudged Ali to search for the images.

“We’ve got something,” Hutchinson said, “It’s not very clear down there. Is that George next to you now?”

“Yes.”

“And where is the subject?”

Natalie turned her head towards the shipwreck. They could barely make out the hull.

“It’s not very clear.”

“Hang on a second.”

Natalie reached up a gloved hand and wiped the camera lens.

“Is that any clearer?”

“A little. Nat can you and your team make your way to the stern.”

“Will do Jim.”

Dennis looked up at Hutchinson.

“Will that take them a minute or two?”

“Probably.”

“I’ll take this advantage of a toilet break.”

Hutchinson nodded without taking his eyes off the computer images.



Dennis rinsed his hands under the hot tap and dried them on a towel. He left the toilet just as one of the crew was just passing with a tray of cups, coffee steaming pleasantly. Dennis side stepped to move out of the way but the crew member insisted the guest go first. Dennis was about to when something caught his eye. He moved to the railings at the ship’s side. The coffee left a brief aroma as it disappeared around the corner.

The ‘Wavecrest’ had just left the harbour and was moving slowly towards them. Dennis watched it for a minute or so as it got slowly bigger on the horizon. Finally Dennis turned away and walked to the bottom of the stairs that led to the bridge. He stopped as the unmistakeable sound of a helicopter came across to him. He put his hand above his eyes to block out the sun but he couldn’t see it near the approaching ship. Then he caught movement out of the corner of his eye and saw it against the horizon. It was travelling at a right angle from the ‘Wavecrest’. Then it turned quickly and was heading for the ‘Volante’. Dennis raced for the bridge and burst through the door.

“We’ve got visitors,” he said rushing back outside. Ali and Jim right behind.

The Lynx was moving low across the water and fast. It rushed by the ‘Volante’ before banking high and to the right. The turbine screamed as it gained height and then it came back past. Dennis could see the bulk of Danilov next to the pilot. He felt the Russian’s eyes boring into him.

The Lynx slowed and finally stopped one thousand metres from the ‘Volante’. It hovered fifty metres above the sea and all the while Dennis felt Danilov staring at them. Ali rushed back inside the bridge and returned moments later with binoculars.

“What are they doing?” Hutchinson asked.

They all saw something fall from the helicopter and make a splash.

“They’ve just dropped a buoy into the sea.”

“A buoy?”

“Yes.”

They could see the buoy, a light flashing from its top.

“Is that to warn of divers in the water?” Dennis asked aware that Natalie and her team could be at risk if the ‘Wavecrest’ had men in the water. Especially Danilov.

“No it looks like a satellite receiving buoy. It’s definitely for communications.”

“Could they have found the wreck?”

Hutchinson watched the flashing light one hundred and fifty feet below the helicopter. The rotor blades making a perfect pattern on the water.





“No I don’t think so,” Hutchinson answered, “I think they’re just happy to sit back and wait for us to find it. Though I don’t understand why.”

“Could they have any sort of special claim over it?”

“No more than anyone else.”

The helicopter dipped its nose as it powered up and began to move forward. It flew past the ’Volante’ once more and was gone.

Hutchinson went back to the screens.

“Come in Natalie,” he said into the headset.

She answered instantly.

“Jim is everything all right. What was that noise overhead. It didn’t sound like a boat.”

“No it was the Lynx helicopter from the ’Wavecrest’. It’s nothing to worry about. They just dropped a communications buoy into the water.”

“What does that mean for us?”

“Nothing. They have a lot of state of the art equipment on board. It’s probably to do with that. Natalie are you ok? Your voice sounds different.”

“I’m fine Jim. Yours sounds different also, sort of croaky. Must be something to do with that buoy. Maybe it’s sonar.”

Hutchinson stayed quiet for a minute, thinking.

“Did you hear me Jim?” I said maybe it’s a sonar buoy.”

“Yes maybe Nat,” Hutchinson said, but he wasn’t happy. He clicked his fingers to Dennis who was still watching the ’Wavecrest’.

“Do you want to see what you can find out about buoys with the laptop. I don’t trust them for one moment.”

Dennis jumped into the chair and tapped on a laptop keyboard.

“I’m on it.”

“Natalie have you reached the stern yet?”

“Yes Jim,” she replied, “Take a look at this.”

She turned her head down. Hutchinson could see her feet in flippers. Then nothing.

“What is it?”

“The stern of the ship is balancing off the edge of a cliff.”

“How far does it go down?”

“I don’t know. Can’t see the bottom but it’s deep.”

“Is the ship safe?”

“I would think so. There’s at least three quarters of it on a sand bar. The stern is in one big mess. Most of it has been ripped out….George has just told me. It’s the ’Tangipito.’

There was excitement in her voice.

“Jim we’ve found it.”



A cheer went up on the bridge of the ’Volante’ Dennis and Hutchinson shook hands with each other and then both with Ali.

“Is it time to break open the champagne?” the journalist asked.

“Not yet,” Hutchinson replied. He could hardly contain himself when he asked his next question.

“Natalie the sarcophagus. Can you see the sarcophagus?”

There was an agonising silence for a minute then her voice came back.

“No. No sign of the sarcophagus. Not yet anyway.”

Hutchinson felt his excitement drop.

“You are sure it’s the ’Tangipito’ aren’t you.”

“Yes I can read the name clearly. It’s about the only bit of the stern still recognisable.”

“Nat it’s Peter. Is the damage jagged. The freighter was torpedoed.”

“Yes the whole rear of the ship has been ripped out.”

Natalie swam to the edge of the large gaping wound in the vessel’s stern. It was completely dark inside. The lights on her helmet not penetrating the gloom.

Hutchinson checked his watch. The team had fifteen minutes of air left.

“Natalie you have a quarter of an hour left. Can you go inside?”

“Yes Jim but I don’t know how much we will be able to see. It’s pitch black inside.”

“Ok but please be careful. Don’t put anyone at risk.”

“I know. I know.”

The six divers positioned themselves at the hole and slowly one by one with George leading they entered the wrecked hull of the ’Tangipito’. Natalie was directly behind George. He was no more than four feet in front. She stopped and turned her head. It was too dark to see anything. The others stopped behind her. When she looked forward again George was gone.

“Can anyone see anything?” she asked.

No one replied.

“Natalie what’s going on down there?”

“It’s so dark Jim we can’t see anything.”

Dennis was still watching the screens. All he could see was darkness.

“Spread out,” Natalie said, “Alex, Tom, you go left. Jack you go right. Go for the sides.”

As Dennis watched he saw a figure loom up in front of Natalie’s head cam and he realised he was glad he wasn’t down there with them.”

“George have you found anything?”

“No. There’s lots of debris and silt on the floor.”

“Tom here Nat. We’re at the starboard side. There’s lots of junk here as well.”

“Same here Natalie,” Alex called, “There’s a large eel down here. That’s the only thing I’ve seen. Everything else littering the floor is covered in silt.”

She waited, peering into the darkness surrounding them before making a decision.

“Jim I’m going to get my group together. We are returning to the ’Volante’.

Hutchinson was about to reply when a cup and saucer nearby suddenly began shaking. Computers began bleeping. The ’Volante’s’ meteorologist shouted without taking his eyes off his screen.

“It’s an earthquake.”

Ali rushed to him.

“How bad?”

“I think it’s going to be pretty big Captain.”

“Where did it start?”

“Just checking sir.”

He punched in on the keypad.

“Approximately halfway between our location and the island of Malta.”

“It started at sea?” Dennis asked.

Ali turned to him.

“Yes.”

“Diving team come in.”

“Yes Jim.”

“Natalie are you still inside the ship?”

“Yes.”

“Get out quickly but don’t panic. There’s been an earthquake between here and Malta. We’ve felt it on the ship.”

“I’m just assembling my team now.”

Natalie gave the signal to Tom and Alex to move out. They were three feet away and she could barely see them. She told Jack and his partner to move next and lastly George. He shook his head and tried to push her forward. Natalie waved her finger in front of his face.

“I give the orders! Me!” she was saying. She ordered him to go first again and reluctantly he obeyed. Natalie waited a moment for his flippers to be clear, then went to follow. Suddenly she heard the wreck around her start to creak and groan. The water in front of her face became distorted. Then around her she sensed the whole ship shake.

The cup and saucer vibrated their way across the worktop where they reached the edge, fell, and smashed on the floor. The monitors flickered with the interference.

“Another earthquake!” Ali was shouting, “This one is much closer.”

Dennis was the only one looking out of the windows. The land was moving up and down where before the horizon was still.

“Where did this one originate?” Hutchinson asked.

“Just a few miles from here.”

“It’s caused the sea to rise,” Dennis said pointing out the window.

“What we have to hope,” Ali replied, “Is that it hasn’t caused a tidal wave.”

“Is that possible?” the journalist asked.

“They usually do,” Hutchinson said, “In the far east they can cause great Tsunami’s like the one on Boxing day in 2004.”

“I remember it.”

Hutchinson hadn’t heard him. He was talking into the headset.

“Diving team this is Volante. Diving team this is Volante. Do you read over?”

He repeated. And then again. All he got back was static. Dennis went over and stood next to him.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t raise the team.”

Ali jumped into the seat and tried another frequency.

“Anything?” Hutchinson asked.

Ali shook his head.

“Come Peter. Let’s check around the ship. See if we can see them. They may have surfaced.”

Dennis followed two steps behind.

“You take starboard. I’ll take port,” Hutchinson directed, “And shout if you see them.”

Dennis ran along the starboard side of the ship. He could see no sign of divers in the water. He glanced up and saw the recovery boat as it disappeared behind the stern. He quickly raced over to port side. Hutchinson was on the walkie talkie talking to the recovery team.

“Affirmative,” he said.

“Anything?” Dennis asked.

“No.”

Peter Dennis turned and was rushing for the equipment deck.

“Peter where are you going?”

Hutchinson raced over to him already guessing the younger man’s intention. Dennis stopped and began dragging scuba tanks from the rack.

“I’m going in.”

“No you’re not.”

Dennis dropped the tanks as he stood up straight.

“What?”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“I’m going in.”

Dennis began to pull the scuba vest on over his T-shirt. Hutchinson grabbed his arm and spun him around to face him.

“Peter It’s too dangerous. You’re a novice diver. You could get into serious trouble, life threatening trouble.”

Dennis felt himself getting angry, very angry.

“That’s your team down there. They could already be in life threatening danger have you forgotten that?”

Dennis spoke to a crewmember.

“Help me with this,” he said gesturing to the tanks.

“Wait,” Hutchinson ordered, “No I haven’t forgotten about my team and I appreciate your concerns. Nobody is more worried about them than I am. But they are in the safest possible hands, their own. Natalie is the most experienced diver I’ve ever met. I’m sure she will get them out safely.”

The crewman didn’t know what to do so he waited.

“Peter listen to me. I’m right about this. I don’t want us to fight and I don’t want to throw you off the project, understood.”

Something clicked in Dennis at this. He let the scuba tanks bump gently to the deck.

“The best thing for all of us to do here is wait. I have every faith in the team.”

“Very well,” Dennis said, “But if they’re not back here in ten minutes I’m going in and to hell with what you say.”

“Peter trust my instincts on this.”