SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
February 12:
“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”
1847: Robert, this British ship sprang a leak and had to be run ashore near the Lourens River mouth at Strand in False Bay in the Western Cape, where it wrecked. Some of the houses in the area were reportedly built with its main cargo of teak from Burma.
1888: Mary Ann, this wooden barque came into Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape for the captain to receive medical attention and for repairs to the vessel on January 6th. However, on the 5th of February the vessel was condemned and put up, to be sold on the 16th of February. This was not to happen, as on this day, it slipped its anchor cable in a south-easterly gale and was wrecked on North End Beach.
1917: Cilicia, this British steel steam-powered freighter struck a mine laid by the German raider, SMS Wolf, about 8 km south of Dassen Island in the Western Cape.
The Cilicia (1917) depicted on a French postcard, date and location unknown
The tugs Ludwig Weiner and J W Sauer towed it towards Cape Town, but it foundered near Robben Island. All on board were saved.
The minefield laid by the SMS Wolf on the 16th January 1917 that claimed the Cilicia (1917)
1929: Nideras, this South African iron steam-powered fishing vessel was lost in the passage of Bird Island in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape during thick fog after attempting to change its fishing grounds. One of its crew perished during the wrecking.
2002: J&D Aviation HS-125-400B (registration no. ZS-JBA), this business jet was written off after rolling into a ditch at Lanseria Airport in Gauteng. The hydraulic accumulator was not pressurised and after the co-pilot removed the chocks, braking attempts failed.
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