The Gulf of Oman's pithy-black deeps have finally surrendered secrets of the mystery sinking of Nazi submarine U-533 during the Second World War.

Several years after the discovery of the U-boat on the seabed 108 metres below by Dubai shipwreck hunter and diver William Leeman, a new deep-sea mission in October to the U-boat's final resting place has confirmed a fatal blast hole was ripped into her rear port side, dooming the twin-screwed 76.8-metre-long vessel and 52 crew members to a watery grave.
Capitalising on clear waters and armed with electric underwater scooters and high-powered spotlights, Leeman and his team of recreational divers discovered the two-metre gash near her propellers, confirming reports by Royal Air Force Squadron 244 that a British light bomber aircraft had scored a direct strike on the submarine on October 16, 1943.Only one U-533 survivor somehow scrambled to safety from the submarine. Records show mechanic Gunther Schmidt bobbed in heavy seas for more than a day after the sinking and made it to shore only to be taken prisoner, Leeman said.
After more than 10 dives in recent years with seven recreational members of the Desert Sports Diving Club of Dubai, often in poor conditions, Leeman said October's visit led to unbelievable visibility and afforded virtually unobstructed views of the U-533.
In the New Year, William Leeman and team will embark on a new deep-sea expedition in search of the Galvan, a sunken Italian wartime submarine now resting in very deep water on the ocean floor not far from the Straits of Hormuz.
U-533's mission in Arabia
Launched on September 11, 1942, the U-533 was attacked several times by British and American navy planes during its first two patrols and 42 days of manoeuvres, before it started its third and final patrol to the Middle East where it roamed the Gulf for 104 days.
According to German records, the U-533 was one of five U-boats sent from Europe in mid-1943 to the Arabian Sea region where the submarine group reportedly sank six enemy ships estimated at 33,800 tonnes.

As part of the relief efforts for the Philippines, the management and staff of Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa – Al Aqah Beach donated several boxes of blankets, clothes and other items to the victims of Typhoon Ketsana in the Philippines. Under the motto “Typhoon after Typhoon, the country has been battered into ruins; rains have started again, many are still missing, people are stranded without food and water” the Human Resources department of Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa started the collection of non-monetary donations that were sent to the Philippines. The relief efforts were highly praised by Mr. Mrad El Khoury, General Manager of Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa saying: “The team of Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa will always be active members in the society we are living in. This is only a humble contribution to express our compassion to those who were affected by this tragedy. Rotana has always played a major role in supporting charity initiatives around the region and we are trying our best to extend the same and maintain it here in Fujairah.”  

Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort welcomes three new arrivals to its 4300-strong animal family with the birth of a white-bellied bustard and two Chilean flamingos.

Born weighing less than 60 grams, the white-bellied bustard originates from the grassy regions of Africa. With a distinctive white belly and blue-grey neck, the chick has black facial markings not typically seen in females. The white bellied bustard is similar to the famous but critically endangered, Houbara bustard found in the UAE and North Africa and central Asia. The Chilean flamingos were born in good health to a first time mother four weeks ago. Native to temperate climates of South America, the flamingos can grow as large as 110-130 cm when in full size and are closely related to the flamingos of the UAE. Wild flamingos can be seen in the mangrove forests of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Khor Kalba. These wild flamingos are listed as ‘near threatened’ because of habitat loss and pollution. The Chilean Flamingos are a stunning species varying in colour from pale to dark pink – a colour that changes depending upon the diet of the bird. Visitors can catch a glimpse of the white-bellied bustard chick with its mother in the aviary with the grey parrot, near to the popular gibbon exhibit. The flamingos can be seen near the main entrance to the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort. The Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort’s collection of birds represents a selection of the wild species found in the UAE. Flamingos and bustards are threatened by habitat destruction and pollution due to human activity. AWPR seeks to introduce the species to visitors to help them learn about the threats to these animals in their natural environment. The development of the bird collection allows visitors to be in touch with nature in the UAE.

About Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort: First established as Al Ain Zoo in 1968 by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort is a multi-faceted development designed around wildlife to create an outstanding sustainable leisure and learning destination aimed at bringing people in touch with nature. The Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort will include more than 900 hectares of land and is currently home to 4,300 animals, 30% of which are considered to be endangered. Following the principles established in the Abu Dhabi 2030 Urban Framework Plan, the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort will become a model for cultural and ecological sustainability, conservation and education. The natural wildlife of the park and educational centres, in addition to the themed desert safaris, and a world leading arid land botanic gardens and plant collection, will provide both a centre of learning excellence and a leisure destination. As part of the transformation into a wildlife resort, significant development is currently being undertaken to set the standards globally for conservation efforts. Construction of the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort will be completed in three phases. Phase one of the project, including the African Safari and the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre, will be finished by 2011. Phase two will be complete in 2012, and the completion date for phase three is 2013. For more information on AWPR, please visit the website: www.awpr.ae