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BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Shipwreck mystery off Plymouth solved after almost 140 years
The mystery of a maritime disaster has been solved after experts found a vessel that sank almost 140 years and explorer Dom Robinson identified the SS Nantes, off Plymouth, after examining the wreck site and finding Harry Bennett, an expert in maritime history, said the dive team had found "the underwater archaeological equivalent of a needle in a haystack".Mr Robinson said solving the mystery ensured those who died were not forgotten. In November 1888, the SS Nantes, which was operated by the Cunard Steamship Company, collided with a German sailing vessel, the Theodor Ruger, said Dr crew spent "several hours" trying to save their ship, the honorary associate professor in history at the University of Plymouth said."They used mattresses to plug the gap which had opened up in the haul of the SS Nantes," he said."[The ship sank] with the loss of a substantial number of the crew. There were some 23-odd fatalities. There were three survivors."Bodies from the wreckage washed ashore at Talland Bay and Looe, in Cornwall, and "locals were confronted by this picture of horror, pieces of ship together with bodies," he said. Afterwards the "wreck was essentially lost, obviously you're dealing in a period with no satellite navigation," said Dr added while the crew tried to save the ship it "drifted for several hours, before it finally made its way to the bottom, sadly, with many of its crewmen on board".He said the wreck was lost until a local dive team identified it in Robinson, who has been diving for about 35 years, said he heard about the unidentified wreck from the UK Hydrographic Office. 'Bingo, we've found it' He said the wreck "was clearly an early steamship when we got down there" but "at the end of my dive I found a broken piece of plate... I decided to bring it up to the surface [and] we found that had the Cunard Steamship crest on it"."It was then bingo, we've found it," he said. Dr Bennett said it was identified by the build and dimensions of the wreck, the technology on board, the cargo and "lastly and most telling, they find a plate on the back of which is stamped Cunard - this is a Cunard ship"."[It was] very methodical, very, very dedicated detective work," he said. Mr Robinson said: "This was an awful tragedy. One of the things I like to think is by solving mysteries and telling those stories I'm ensuring that those people aren't forgotten."Since the initial find, Mr Robinson said he had dived the wreck again and found a second piece of Cunard crockery, providing "even more confirmation"."There are very few mysteries left to explore in this world," he said."As a normal human being like me, going in exploring shipwrecks and identifying shipwrecks, that is just something different to my normal life, and it's a fantastic feeling."Dr Bennett said "all the pieces fit and I think the local dive team are to be congratulated on a splendid piece of detective work which reveals this maritime disaster". He said he had looked at the footage and methodology and had confirmed they were right "beyond any reasonable shadow of a doubt, this is the SS Nantes".
BBC News
09-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Isles of Scilly mark anniversary of tragic shipwreck
Ocean liner SS Schiller sank close to the Isles of Scilly on the night of 7 May 1875, with the loss of more than 300 lives including about 50 ship went down close to Bishop Rock in thick fog and heavy seas resulting in one of the worst disasters in British maritime tried to reach people, but only 15 survived and many of the bodies were recovered to the Isles of Scilly.A series of events are taking place to mark the anniversary including a commemorative service at sea. Rescue efforts According to Visit Scilly, the luxury German liner was often referred to as the "Victorian Titanic".Bound for Hamburg from New York, it struck the Retarrier Ledges near Bishop Rock Lighthouse, killing 311 people, which made it the second-worst shipwreck recorded in the islands' crews from Bryher and St Agnes joined the rescue efforts alongside luggers from Sennen Cove in Cornwall to try to save of those who died in the tragedy were laid to rest in two mass graves at Old Town Church in St Mary's. Lydia Bassett, director of Scilly Arts and Heritage which is putting on a series of events to mark the anniversary, said: "Estimates of the death toll vary from 301 up to 335 because although the ship had a manifest of passengers and crew some of the people on board were working passage - meaning they were working for a free trip across the ocean and some of these weren't documented."There also may have been some stowaways on board." On Saturday a commemorative boat service will take place at sea to remember those who were lost and the courage of over the Western Rocks in collaboration with St Mary's Boatmen's Association, it will be led by Chaplain Elizabeth Burke and Bishop Hugh Nelson.
South China Morning Post
06-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Coroner's inquest begins into 2012 Hong Kong Lamma ferry disaster
A coroner's inquest into one of Hong Kong's worst maritime disasters started on Tuesday, with some survivors complaining they were never told the location of life-saving apparatus and the means of escape before their ferry sank in the accident 13 years ago. Advertisement The Coroner's Court on Tuesday began hearing evidence regarding the circumstances of the 39 deaths caused by a collision between two ferries off the waters of Lamma Island on October 1, 2012. The long-overdue hearing was held after two of the deceased's relatives convinced the Court of Appeal that it was in the public interest to investigate the incident once again even though the causes of the tragedy had been largely identified in previous inquiries. The 39 deceased were among 124 passengers on board the Lamma IV vessel to view National Day fireworks as part of a recreational event by HK Electric organised for its employees and their relatives. The boat was hit on the port side by the Sea Smooth ferry, operated by Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry, while heading to Victoria Harbour at around 8.20pm. Advertisement The damaged Sea Smooth was able to continue to Lamma Island's Yung Shue Wan Pier, but the Lamma IV sank in less than two minutes partly due to design flaws. It marked the city's worst maritime disaster since 1971, when 88 were killed after a ferry sank during a typhoon.
