At one point, it is stated that the Suez Canal "hasn't been opened yet", so the only way the Nautilus can reach the Mediterranean Sea without sailing around Africa is to sail through the Arabian Tunnel, a secret underwater passage that only Nemo and his crew know about. However, in the original series, the Suez Canal has been open for three years, and Fog and his companions sail down it in order to reach India while avoiding the trip round Africa.