Coordinates: 19°38′19″N 37°19′38″E / 19.63861°N 37.32722°E / 19.63861; 37.32722

SS Umbria

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19°38′19″N 37°19′38″E / 19.63861°N 37.32722°E / 19.63861; 37.32722

Not to be confused with RMS Umbria or Italian cruiser Umbria.
Bahia Blanca HSDG.jpg
as Argentinean SS Bahia Blanca
History
Germany
NameSS Bahia Blanca
NamesakeBahía Blanca
Launched30 December 1911
In service1912 - 1918
History
Argentina
NameSS Bahia Blanca
In service1918 - 1935
History
Italy
NameSS Umbria
NamesakeUmbria
In service1935 - 1940
FateScuttled, 9 June 1940
General characteristics
Typemaritime transport
Tonnage10076 grt
Length154.9 m (508 ft)
Beam18.1 m (59 ft)
Draught10.9 m (36 ft)
Installed powertwo 3-cylinder triple expansion steam engines, dual shaft, 848 nominal horsepower total
Propulsion2 screws
Speed13 knots (24 km/h)

SS Umbria (formerly SS Bahia Blanca) was maritime transport build in 1912 in Hamburg, Germany which plied the routes between Europe and Argentina. In 1918 the ship was acquired by the Argentinean Government and transported various goods (notably coal and agriculture products) across the Atlantic until 1934. In 1935 she was purchased by the Italian Government and renamed to Umbria. On 3 June 1940 she arrived at Port Said, Egypt controlled by British. She was secretly carrying 6000 tons of bombs, 600 cases of detonators, 100 tons of various weapons, over 2000 tons of cement and three Fiat 1100 cars. Although expected to enter the war, Italy was still technically neutral, so on June 6th she was allowed to continue her way. On June 9th British warships HMS Grimsby and HMS Leander forced Umbria to anchor at Wingate reef near Port Sudan, Sudan on the pretext for searching for contraband. Shortly after that Umbria's captain, Lorenzo Muiesan, heard on the radio that Italy had joined the war with Nazi Germany. He asked the British guards for permission to do a muster drill and with the help of the crew scuttled the ship. SS Umbria lies on her port side at maximum depth of 38 metres (125 ft). She's often visited by scuba divers and considered one of the best wrecks in the world.[1][2][3][4][5]

  • Stern view of the wreck

  • Electric panel in the engine room

  • Bombs cargo in the wreck

  • Remains of ammunition cargo

  • Fiat 1100 cars

References[]

  1. ^ wrecksite.eu - Umbria passenger ship 1912-1940
  2. ^ Umbria | La Compagnia del Mar Rosso
  3. ^ Egypt Red Sea Shipwrecks - The Umbria
  4. ^ Umbria wreck diving, one of the best wrecks ever
  5. ^ Transporte A.R.A. "BAHIA BLANCA"

<https://www.blueforcefleet.com/blog/umbria-wreck/ /, The Umbria, the exciting story of one of the best wrecks in the world. >

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