Maritime record MDO20232 - Thira (Sudian)

1946 wreck of a Greek cargo coaster which developed a leak in her engine-room which put out the boiler fires, disabling the pumps. After failing to reach Goddard Point to beach the vessel, the crew had to abandon her before she foundered while anchored some 3.5 miles WSW of the Bill of Portland. She had been en route from Solvesborg to Alexandria in ballast. Built in 1882, she was a steam-driven vessel. Status: Casualty

Ex Swedish coaster, sold to Greek owners. Sank after engine room started to flood. May be identical with 'Sudon' an otherwise unidentified wreck. Position 50 28 90 N 2 27 33 W taken from (2)

Her possible remains are recorded as 1520969.
'Sank slowly at anchor after being abandoned by crew. (Capt I/C Portland)' (1)

'Ex-SUDIAN. Sank during the night after her engine room commenced to flood at 3am causing the boiler fires to be put out, after which the pumps stopped. The captain attempted to reach Goddard Point in an attempt to beach her, but failed to reach the area, so dropped anchor and the crew took to the boats. The ship had been in Weymouth all over Christmas for repairs, having recently been sold to the Greek Government by her Swedish owners. Her crew were of mixed nationality, being Greek, Egyptian and Sudanese, and were picked up by the tug PILOT and landed at Portland.' (2)

NB: The UK Hydrographic office charts her as the OHPA (Possibly) (UKHO record no. 18723), and there are two points of interest here: firstly, the name THIRA in the Greek alphabet appears to read as OHPA in the Latin alphabet; and secondly, the charted position lies 3.5 miles to the NE of that given in Source 2, which gives it as 50° 28'09 N, 02° 27'33 W. The charted position is recorded as 1520969. (3)

'The Greek steamer THIRA, 253 tons, which left Weymouth harbour for Alexandria, calling at Plymouth, foundered a mile off Portland Bill after her engine room had become flooded and her pumps been put out of action. There was only a moderate sea running at the time. Officers and crew, who had taken to their own lifeboat, were picked up by the Portland tug pilot, and brought ashore yesterday.' (4)

Built: 1882 (2)
Where built and by whom is not known.
Dimensions are not known.
Tonnage: 160 gt (1); 253 (2)
Object material is not known.
Propulsion: Screw-driven expansion engine (2)
Crew: 13 (2)
Master: James McLaren (2)
Ownership details: The vessel was Greek at the time of loss, having been Swedish previously. (2)

Date of loss qualifier: Actual date of loss

Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
Dorset Daily Echo 07.01.1946 ®; Lloyd's Casualty Report 1946 p6(b).

<1> United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, Wreck report, 18723 (Monograph). SDO20514.

<2> Larn, R, and Larn, B, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 6, Dorset (AJ) Vol 1 (Monograph). SWX4541.

<3> NRHE Compiler's comments (Verbal communication). SDO19863.

<4> The Times, 08-JAN-1946, No.50,344 p2 (Serial). SWX3285.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1520967 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 31 2024 9:33AM