SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
June 11:
“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”
1940: Timavo, this Italian steam-powered cargo ship wrecked just north of Leven Point in KwaZulu-Natal. It was anchored in Durban when the news emerged that Mussolini had joined the war, allied to Hitler. The Timavo, along with an unknown second Italian vessel attempted to avoid capture by the Allies by quickly steaming up the coast to Lourenco Marques (modern day Maputo). When it seemed like the SAAF would capture them, it was intentionally beached and became a wreck.
Timavo (1940) being salvaged after it was wrecked
Jeff Gaisford
The second vessel was the Gerusalem. It was intercepted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Ranchi near Kosi Bay. Gerusalem's skipper ran his ship towards shore and made as if the vessel had run aground, with much hooting and blowing off of steam. Ranchi was a much larger ship and could not approach Gerusalem in such shallow water. Ranchi signalled Gerusalem saying she would send a smaller vessel to assist her, and sailed away. As soon as Ranchi was out of sight Gerusalem promptly reversed out to sea again and headed north into Mozambican waters.
The figure wearing the white cap in the photo of Timavo is Captain Derric van Delden who carried out a lot of salvage operations along the southern African shores. The Timavo wreck site is roughly halfway between Cape Vidal and Sodwana Bay, a few km north of Leven Point.
Aerial photo/video service/inquiries: info@traveltonamibia.com
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