SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
See also: Namibian shipwrecks
Today, March 11:
“This day in South African shipwreck History”
1837: Maria, this wooden sailing brig wrecked during a south easterly in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape.
1840: Hope, this sail (schooner) and paddle-wheeled steam-powered coaster wrecked near Wreck point, west of Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape. Whilst in a thick mist it struck a ridge of rocks about 200m from the shore. The captain thought that they were 40km from the shore. Only one of the two lifeboats were usable, so a second one was manufactured and towed to shore using the first. A return journey resulted in all 72 people that were on board being saved. The vessel became a total wreck and is known as the first steamer to have wrecked on the South African coast.
1842: Adolph Fanny, this French sailing barque was put into Table Bay in the Western Cape for repairs and caulking in but was condemned after inspection.
1853: Agatha, this sailing cutter capsized and wrecked whilst crossing the bar of the Mthatha river near Coffee Bay in the Eastern Cape.
1894: Seagull, this three-masted wooden sailing schooner wrecked in a south easterly gale after its cables parted just off De Bakke beach in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape.
1943: Aelybryn, this steam-powered ship was the final vessel to be claimed by the infamous U-160. Late at night and unescorted the Aelybryn was struck by two torpedoes fired from U-160. The Germans questioned the survivors and again, a misunderstanding resulted in the incorrect name being reported, this time the Aelybryn was reported as being the Arian. Out of the 41 on board, The Lourenço Marques picked up 32 survivors and landed them in Cape Town, meaning nine lives were lost. This was the Aelybryn’s second time being attacked by a German U-boat, having had an encounter with U-556 two years earlier which it managed to survive with some damage and the loss of life of one crew member. As for the fate of U-160 and its crew, they were sunk by the US Navy on the 14th of July 1943, near the Azores islands in the North-Eastern Atlantic.
1944: Uit-22, this Italian submarine, which was taken over by the Germans after the Italians surrendered, was sunk by Wing Commander ESS "Gar" Nash in an RAF Catalina south of Cape Point in the Western Cape. All 46 on board were killed.
1968: Dirkie Uys, this motor-powered vessel wrecked at Cape Infanta in the Western Cape.
1971: Gansie Een, this motor-powered fishing vessel wrecked opposite Die Baken near Cape Agulhas in the Western Cape. One life was lost because of the wrecking.
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