The S.S. Shillong
Built at Vickers-Armstrong’s Walker yard #104 in March 1949, for the P&O LINE, The SHILLONG was 8934 tons gross, 4816 nett and 522 ft long. She was fitted with three geared steam turbine engines built at Barrow in Furness which could deliver 13000shp through a single prop. She had a speed of 17 knots. Classified as a general cargo liner, she could carry 12 passengers and had a crew of 87.
Constructed: 1949 (England)
Wrecked: 1957
Length of ship: 159m (522ft)
Wreck location: Not yet located - attempts ongoing. Believed to be near Ras Gharib, Gulf of Suez, Egypt.
Depth range of wreck: not known
View wreck location using Google Earth.
(Requires Google Earth: Get it here).
Final Voyage
In October 1957 the P&O Shillong steamed down Southampton Water, Ushant under the command of Captain Spurling, she carried 6 passengers, 26 British officers and 61 crew. Passing the Queen Mary and the American aircraft—carrier Forrestal she journeyed through the Bay of Biscay, past Portugal, Spain and through the Straits of Gibraltar to her first port of call, Almeria, in fine clear weather. Here she loaded grapes for the East; then headed north and east to Genoa to discharge and take on more cargo, and finally south to Port Said and the entrance to the Suez Canal.
After a short delay she joined a south bound convoy, bow to stern of the next ahead, slowly and carefully through to the Bitter Lakes where the convoy anchored to allow the northbound ships past. After 10 hour delay due to fog the convoy headed towards Port Tewfik and the Gulf of Suez.
At 1600hrs Tuesday, October 22nd, discharging her pilot, Shillong gathered way , rounded Newport Rock, and set course down the Gulf of Suez. Gathering speed she passed slower vessels, northbound vessels on an almost reciprocal course passed her on both sides. .
At 2000hrs the watches changed and the Second officer and the eight to twelve cadet, Ian Goddard, relieved the officers on the bridge.
Still blessed with fine weather,The Shillong was steering for Ras Gharib light, 40 miles to the south the Captain’s night—order book contained instructions for him to be called when they reached the light.
Two hours later as the Shillong was approaching the flashing light of Ras Gharib on her starboard bow, with a passenger liner close on her starboard quarter. Ahead of her there were 3ships off her port bow -one going the same way, two coming north on almost a reciprocal course, because the track after Ras Gharib the north bound vessels adjusted course by a 20 degree angle. So these two ships ahead of the Shillong were converging on her at a fine angle from her port bow. As the ships neared Ras Gharib, the Second officer in the Shillong watched the green sidelight of the approaching ship off his port bow and noted that the bearing was remaining constant.
As the five vessels converged on the Ghalib light the Shillong was slowly being hemmed in and her manoeuvring capabilities being reduced by the minute. One of the north bound vessels had made matters worse as she had crossed over to the Shillongs starboard bow. The Italian Liner still sat on his starboard quarter. There was little room to manoeuvre.
The Second Officer stood at the centre window of the wheelhouse. The lights were getting much too close now. He went inside the chartroom to check on the radar screen just how close they were -less than a mile
When he went outside again the navigation lights ahead were still pointing in exactly the same direction, now so close as to be able to make out the bridge details of the on coming vessel. She was not going to turn! At a combined speed of over 30 knots the northbound vessel. Was on a collision course. The Second office called for an immediate turn to starboard sounding the siren to warn the on coming vessel of his actions..
Jan Goddard heard the siren as he went into the chart-room to collect the ‘stations’ book to note down the helm and engine orders for later inclusion in the log-book. The Captain heard it too, and came racing up the ladder. Almost at the same time the on coming ship altered her helm to port—she had decided to try and cross the bows of the Shillong.
The Shillong’s Second officer moved to the single engine-room telegraph in the wheelhouse and rang it over twice, “Emergency Full Astern!”
Too late. The two vessels raced towards a collision point with their helms turned in opposite directions. Ian Goddard, standing on the helmsman's starboard side could now make out the huge wide beamed tanker approaching amidships. He grabbed onto the telegraph as the ship lurched over to port.The on coming vessel having struck only some 20 ft away-demolshing the #2 motor boat
As the Tanker swung under the momentum of the Shillong, she slid astern leaving a huge gash in her port side
The sea poured the Shillong’s engine—room, and the port-side deep cargo oil-tank was filling rapidly with the sea, pulling the ship down. The other empty cargo oil-tank on the starboard side, , was acting as a buoyancy chamber. The Shillong spun round and heeled over on her port side The water was now up to her boat-deck number3 hold had flooded.
Astern of them in the darkness, the Purfina Congo, bows twisted back into her hull, lay dead in the water, anchored to the bottom by the length of the cables which had fallen from her split chain—locker.
The gravity davits, had been designed to work against an adverse list of 15 degrees, but with the Shillong s list at 30 degrees they were rendered useless - and the starboard lifeboats unusable. On the port side the forward boat was smashed, and the aft boat’s davit had been bent by the collision .
Every effort was made to use inflatables, and as the engine room flooded the vessel righted itself and the starboard lifeboats were utilized.The crew and passengers abandoned ship as she settled low in the water, Captain Spurling being the last to leave.
Shortly after a tanker, the SKOTLAND came close by, slowing and lowering her own boats, taking the survivors on board. Ironically, this was the north bound vessel which had prevented the Shillong from taking evasive action. Meanwhile the Shillong had settled, and just after midnight she went down stern first. Three lives were lost.
The Wreck Today
She has not yet been located! Attempts to locate her are ongoing although we do know where she should be.
We do organise 'Wreck Hunting' itineraries a few times per year, and the Shillong is likely to be a wreck on this itinerary. Contact us for further info.
Shillong wreck hunt date announced - September 2008
Over the past 5 years, we have been lucky enough to discover many new wrecks in the Egyptian Red Sea; the most recent being the S.S. TURKIA. Most of our target list, some 20 vessels have now been located identified and surveyed during our wreck exploration weeks. One wreck however has eluded us - the P&0 steamer SHILLONG. Our journeys high into the gulf of Suez are groundbreaking - we have gone further than any other safari boat, thanks to Capain Tarek, skipper of the MY HYATT.
On September 14th 2008 we will once again set out on a mission to find the wreck. Local fishermen, who have confirmed we are in the right place, will join us, and we will have on board the latest sidescan image processing equipment thanks to TRITEK of Aberdeen (for a review please see SPORT DIVER JULY 2008).
En route we will 'warm up' on the Thistlegorm before heading north - first stop is a large unidentified wreck near Gebal el Ziet. We will then head for Ras Galib and Ras Shukier where our search will begin. Aditional dives on the Scalaria, Bakr and Aboudy will be slotted in between searches and a night dive on the Birchwood 2 will also be offered.
Full historical presentations on all the wrecks will be given, and guests will have the opportunity to learn new skills in wreck searching techniques, survey and identification methods, as well as specific wreck diving skills.
Finally we will call in on the Rosalie Moller, thus diving all three WW2 victims in one week. A special set of unique log book stickers will also be available on board.
The wreck is there - just waiting to be found! Many of our regular members have signed up, eager once again to be the FIRST - why not join us? Please contact us for more details.
Want to dive this wreck?
Aquatours can't promise that yet - but we can arrange for you to be part of the team on the next 'Wreck Hunting' expedition to try and locate her!
• Contact us for further info.
