What is Catalina Seaplane?
Thomas Kendall, a retired American businessman, was flying his family around the world in a Catalina Seaplane that had been converted into a private plane. When Kendall landed on the beach at Ras Al-Sheikh Humaid, on the western tip of NEOM, where the Gulf of Aqaba meets the Red Sea in 1960, he did so without authorization.
Local tribesmen opened fire on the Catalina the next day after it had camped overnight, believing it to be an invading aircraft. Kendall and his family were uninjured, but the Catalina was severely damaged, making it unusable for flight.
His plane has remained on the sands since he left, casting a large shadow on the desert.
What is inside/attraction?
- Take your time exploring the ruins, taking in the architecture and form, and trying to put yourself back in the year 1960.
- You can take a dip in the ocean around the wreck, or you can relax under the stars at night.
- Located at the northernmost point of Saudi Arabia’s continental mainland.
- All of the passengers and crew successfully exited the aircraft and made it to land despite the water only being about 1.5 meters deep.
- The bullet holes left by the Bedouins are clearly visible from the seaplane.
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