Ostende: Loch Na Lathaich, Mull
Obstruction (Period Unassigned), Steamship (20th Century)
Site Name Ostende: Loch Na Lathaich, Mull
Classification Obstruction (Period Unassigned), Steamship (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Ostend; Ehrenfels; Austere; Rubh Aird An Daraich; Bunessan Bay; Loch Caol; Rubh Nam Buthan; Cnoc An T-suidhe; Loch-na-lathaich; Ostende (Possibly)
Canmore ID 102437
Site Number NM32SE 8001
NGR NM 36303 22528
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102437
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Maritime - Argyll And Bute
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NM32SE 8001 3630 2252
N56 19.3 W6 15.9333
NLO: Rubh' Aird an Daraich [name: NM 359 225]
Loch na Lathaich [name centred NM 369 235]
Bunessan [name: NM 392 218].
Formerly entered as NM32SE 9066.
See also NM32SE 8008.
Quality of fix = HSA
Horizontal Datum = OGB
Buoyage =
General water depth = 5
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The vessel suffered an explosion, believed to have been caused by a mine or torpedo, whilst en-route from New York for Liverpool. It was carrying 3544 tons general cargo and 1830 tons of steel.
Source; Lloyd's World War II Shipping Loses.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
11 October 1943. The outline of a stranded wreck, 380 feet (115 metres) long, is lying with its bows to the SW, in a general depth of depth 5.4 metres, at 56 19 18N, 006 15 56W on HMS SCOTT's survey dated 25 June 1943.
13 October 1959. The position was carefully investigated by divers. No trace was found. It is reported locally to have been broken up and removed for scrap.
Report by HMS SHACKLETON, 3 September 1959.
10 November 1975. Local sources indicate that this could have been a requisitioned Belgium vessel called OSTENDE or AUSTERE, which was lost due to an explosion in 1943.
Report by P L Sellars, 5 October 1975.
30 June 1982, The OSTENDE, an ammunition ship, was apparently towed into the bay in 1943. It exploded soon afterwards and was scattered in small parts. Ammunition still lies on the seabed.
Source: Diver magazine, 1982.
12 February 1987. The seabed is reported to have been examined by Bendoran Boatyard, and found to be free from wreckage and obstructions.
Source; Clyde Cruising Club sailing directions, amendment February 1985.
Hydrographic Office, 1995
(Classified as steel steamship, with cargo of steel and general goods: former name cited as Ehrenfels, and date of loss as 17 January 1943). Ostende: this ship beached in Loch-na-Lathaich, and blew up on the 20th.
Registration: Antwerp. Built 1903. 5613grt. Length: 114m. Beam: 15m.
(Location of loss cited as N56 19.33 W6 15.83).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):
A573 89 20mm cannon shells: from seabed.
NMRS, MS/829/34.
Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):
A1071 1 valve, 2 empty shell cases: from seabed.
NMRS, MS/829/35.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 338
Name : OSTENDE (EX. EHRENFELS)
Latitude : 561920
Longitude : 61550
Date Built : 1903
Registration : ANTWERP
Type : SS (STEEL)
Tonnage : 5613
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 114
Beam : 15
Draught : 8m
Position : Position Doubtful
Loss Day : 17
Loss Month : 1
Loss Year : 1943
Comment : Beached in Loch-na-Lathaich. Blew-up on 20th.
Cargo : GENERAL,STEEL
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 002633
Feature Class : Obstn
Obstruction Category : Foul ground
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 56.32152,-6.26655
Horizontal Datum : ETRS 1989
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 56.32152,-6.26655
WGS84 Origin : Block Shift
Previous Position : 56.32167,-6.26555
Position Method : Horizontal sextant angle
Position Quality : Precisely known
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 6
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : OSTENDE (POSSIBLY)
Type : SS
Flag : BELGIAN
Length : 114.3
Beam : 15.4
Draught : 8.3
Tonnage : 4438
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : 3544T GEN & 1830T STEEL, AMMO & BOMBS, AIRCRAFT
Date Sunk : 17/01/1943
Bottom Texture : Mud
Contact Description : Notable debris
Original Sensor : None reported
Last Sensor : None reported
Original Detection Year : 1943
Last Detection Year : 1987
Original Source : Survey Vessel
Last Source : Other
Circumstances of Loss : **EX-EHRENFELS. BUILT IN 1903 BY SWAN, HUNTER & WIGHAM, RICHARDSON OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY ARMAMENT DEPPE (AGENCE MARITIME). THREE BOILERS, QUADRUPLE EXPANSION ENGINE OF 476 HP, SINGLE SHAFT. PASSAGE NEW YORK FOR LIVERPOOL. CARGO GENERAL. STEEL, AMMUNITION, BOMBS AND AIRCRAFT. SUFFERED AN EXPLOSION BELIEVED CAUSED BY A MINE. RAN FOR SHALLOW WATER BUT SANK SHORT. UNLOADING COMMENCED BUT VESSEL SUFFERED HUGE EXPLOSION AFTER FIRE BROKE OUT. NEXT MORNING ONLY FORECASTLE AND BRIDGE VISIBLE. S DRIFTER LYDIA BLOWN TO PIECES IN THE EXPLOSION BUT CREW SAVED. (SIBI)
Surveying Details : **H01130/43 11.10.43 OUTLINE OF STRANDED WK, 380FT LONG, LYING WITH BOWS SW, SHOWN IN GEN DEPTH 3FMS, IN 561918N, 061556W ON HMS SCOTT SURVEY DTD 25.6.43 [E6673]. INS AS STF. - FNM 1866/43.
**H3731/46 14.8.46 INS FOUL ANCHORAGE IN 561918N, 061600W. - NM 2437/46.
**H7660/56 13.10.56 DELETED STF FROM ALL CHARTS. LEGEND REMAINS. - NM 2391/59.
**H7660/56 13.10.59 POSN CAREFULLY INVESTIGATED BY SW DIVERS. NO TRACE FOUND. REPORTED LOCALLY TO HAVE BEEN BROKEN UP & REMOVED FOR SCRAP. (HMS SHACKLETON, HN 3.9.59).
**H1288/75/339 10.11.75 LOCAL SOURCES INDICATE THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A REQUISITIONED BELGIUM VESSEL CALLED OSTENDE, OR AUSTERE, WHICH WAS LOST DUE TO AN EXPLOSION IN 1943. (P L SELLARS, 5.10.75).
**H5249/76 30.6.82 OSTENDE, AMMUNITION SHIP, APPARENTLY TOWED INTO BAY IN 1943. EXPLODED SOON AFTER & SCATTERED IN SMALL PARTS. AMMUNITION STILL ON SEABED. (DIVER MAGAZINE, 1982).
**H2466/82 12.2.87 SEABED REPORTED EXAMINED BY BENDORAN BOATYARD, FOUND TO BE FREE FROM WRECKAGE & OBSTRUCTIONS. (CLYDE CRUISING CLUB SAILING DIRECTIONS, AMENDMENT FEB'85). NCA.
**H2466/82 3.11.92 DELETED FROM NE 2771.
POSITIONS BELOW THIS POINT ARE IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND DECIMALS OF A MINUTE
**7.9.06 NOW RE-INSERTED AS F IN 5619.291N, 0615.993W [EUT]. NE 2771.
Chart Symbol : F
Date Last Amended : 09/09/2006
