I led a dive to in Malaysia to the mentioned wreck last month. The wreck laid on its side.
We descended to the bow and proceeded to the hull but had to turn back as there was a string current. As we turned round the first mast, I noticed something different about the wreck and took a second look.
There below 5 metres below me was a Hawksbill Turtle. It had somehow got itself wedged inbetween some cables and the mast. It struggling to free itself.
I gingerly descended next to it and knelt down beside it. Noticing me, it stopped and lifted its head, and looked at me. I was rather large, the shell estimated to be 1.2Metres in length.
I lifted the cables away and it started to move. However, there seem to be no progress and it stopped after several attempts and looked up again as if to say "Hey I'm still stucked.
I placed the cables behind me an looked around. Apparently it had its bottom shell hooked to the wreck.
I gingerly pulled it back and lifted it. It was heavy. As soon as I let go, it slowly glided away beneath my dive group. As it lazily moved away it lifted its head and looked back at me as if to say thanks.
I'm glad I did what I did then. At least the world has one more Turtle to survive its species.
Ray
Singapore
