Daily Event for May 7


May 7, 1901 the Tantallon Castle, a 440' long 5,000 ton passenger steamer operating for the Union-Castle Line
was wrecked in the fog near Robben Island, South Africa. The ship was stuck fast, but was not in danger of
sinking. The 120 passengers onboard remained calm for the hour and a half it took for the SS Magnet to
arrive on the scene. They were all removed, but some of the crew remained on board with the intention of
refloating the ship. For several days the crew, assisted by local ships, tried and tired to get the ship off the
rocks, but the sea finally claimed her due. Now abandoned, the waves of the Atlantic bashed and battered the
ship until nothing but debris remained.
© 2008 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com




2005 Daily Event