Evidence Of Loss

Date 1995

Event ID 589196

Category Recording

Type Evidence Of Loss

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/589196

Quality of fix = SYL

Evidence = Echo sounder

Horizontal Datum = OGB

General water depth = 86

Orientation of keel/wreck = 175/355

Circumstances of Loss Details

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The TUSCANIA was an Anchor Line vessel, built 1914, which was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U77. The vessel had been taken over as a war transport and was carrying 2030 American troops from Halifax to Liverpool. 166 lives were lost.

Source; Dictionary of Disasters at Sea.

Surveying Details

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1918. The TUSCANIA sank at 55 36 00N, 006 29 00W approximately. Or 7 miles north of Rathlin Island light.

5 July 1957. The site was not found.

Report by HMS COOK, 1956.

11 February 1986. The wreck was examined on 17/18 Cotober 1985 at 55 34 28N, 006 31 18W or decca [hebrides] red g 2.12, purple c 70.11. The least echosounder depth was 80 in a general depth of 86 metres. No scouring was observed. The side scan sonar indicated a height of 5 metres, and a length of 70 - 80 metres (229 -262 feet). The wreck is lying with its keel orientated 175/355 degrees, but is not well defined. Two other contacts nearby could be possibly be wreckage, but these are considered to be probably natural features. These two features lie approximately 450 metres to the west.

Report by Bue Subsea.

Hydrographic Office, 1995.