Wreck of the British steamer SS Sobraon identified

Taiwanese divers have succeeded in identifying the wreck of the British ship SS Sobraon, which sank on 24 April 1901 near Tungyin Island, now part of Taiwan. It is suspected that the vessel was carrying goods looted by the British in Beijing during the so-called Boxer Uprising of 1899-1901.

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The SS Sobraon was a passenger ship built in 1900 at the Caird & Company Greenock shipyard under contract to the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company. The steamer was commissioned on 17 February 1900 and at the time was one of the best vessels in her class. As you can see the vessel was exceptionally unlucky. She had not even had time to establish herself in international waters when, on her return voyage to London, she hit the rocks and sank after only 14 months of service.

Although the 137.16m long and 16.46m wide Sobraon was wrecked on a cloudy and dark night, all the crew and passengers (210 people) were rescued. The ship was sinking so slowly that there were no problems with getting into the lifeboats, in which the survivors then reached the shore.

Nevertheless, the loss of the steamer caused shock and disbelief in the British Isles, especially among the shipping authorities and services. This was due to the fact that the route of the SS Sobraon followed a popular trade route. It was also a cause for London to fund a lighthouse, which still stands on the island today.

As well as being a difficult shipping route, the site is also a very challenging dive site. The weather and tides restrict underwater exploration to the period between June and September. This does not change the fact that even then visibility is poor. The divers, who identified the wreck, had to work in conditions where the visibility was just over 0.5m!

The vessel itself had been found a year earlier, but it was not possible to confirm its identity then. This time, the excavated artefacts and examination of the wreckage have left no doubt as to what we are dealing with. However, no trace of the cargo has yet been found.

The SS Sobraon lies at a depth of approximately 30m and is in poor condition. Strong storms and currents, which are normal in this region, led to the wreck breaking. The divers nevertheless managed to find one of the ship’s two masts and one of its two propellers.

According to official figures, the steamer’s cargo was 800t, most of which was said to be contained in a large consignment of silk. However, given the period in which the SS Sobraon sank, it is highly likely that it contained looted cultural goods and antiquities from Allied-occupied China. The searchers hope to clarify this as soon as possible.

Source: ibtimes.co.uk, telegraph.co.uk