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Aska: Cara Island, Sound Of Gigha
Liner (20th Century), Steamship (20th Century)
Site Name Aska: Cara Island, Sound Of Gigha
Classification Liner (20th Century), Steamship (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Isle Of Gigha; Sound Of Jura; North Channel; Aska
Canmore ID 102680
Site Number NR64SW 8001
NGR NR 63408 44564
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102680
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Maritime - Argyll And Bute
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NR64SW 8001 6340 4456
N55 38.2167 W5 45.5833
NLO: Cara Island [name: NR 640 440]
Sound of Gigha [name centred NR 67 49]
Sound of Jura [name centred NR 64 78]
Isle of Gigha [name centred NR 642 492].
Formerly entered as NR64SW 9312.
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 6
Orientation of keel/wreck = NS
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The ASKA, while proceeding independently from Bathurst, West Africa, to Liverpool with 350 French troops on board, was bombed by German aircraft when between Rathlin Island and Maiden's Rock. She was abandoned by passengers and crew, and drifted ashore on Cara island where she became total loss. Her cargo included 600 tons of cocoa.
Source: Dictionary of Disasters at Sea, Lloyds War Losses.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
The air attack took place at 55 15 00N, 005 55 00W, approximately.
Source: World War II Shipping Loses.
18 August 1953. The wreck lies at 55 37 42N, 005 45 19W, approximately and is not dangerous to shipping.
(Authority unknown)
2 February 1956. The ASKA is confirmed ashore on Cara Island.
25 February 1975. The wreck was dived on in 1966. Part of the machinery shows above the surface.
Letter from P L Sellars, 11 Febraury 1975.
10 March 1992. Wreckage lies on both sides of the reef running N/S off Cara Island at 55 38 13N, 005 45 35W. The majority lies to the west of the reef and the engine block breaks surface at mid-tide in calm conditions. The wreckage lies in 4 to 10 metres of water so close to the reef as to be considered part of it.
Report by P J Moir, 4 March 1992.
Hydrographic Office, 1995.
(Classified as steel steamship, with cargo of French personnel: date of loss cited as 16 September 1940). Aska: this vessel was attacked by aircraft [and] drifted ashore on Cara.
Registration: British. Built 1939. 8323grt. Length: 133m. Beam: 20m.
(Location of loss cited as N55 38.18 W5 45.62).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The implied equation of the wreck remains described by Moir with the recorded loss of the Aska is accepted.
The cited location remains unverified.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 29 March 2010.
Loss (16 September 1940)
(Classified as steel steamship, with cargo of French personnel: date of loss cited as 16 September 1940). Aska: this vessel was attacked by aircraft [and] drifted ashore on Cara.
Registration: British. Built 1939. 8323grt. Length: 133m. Beam: 20m.
(Location of loss cited as N55 38.18 W5 45.62).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Evidence Of Loss (1995)
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 6
Orientation of keel/wreck = NS
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The ASKA, while proceeding independently from Bathurst, West Africa, to Liverpool with 350 French troops on board, was bombed by German aircraft when between Rathlin Island and Maiden's Rock. She was abandoned by passengers and crew, and drifted ashore on Cara island where she became total loss. Her cargo included 600 tons of cocoa.
Source: Dictionary of Disasters at Sea, Lloyds War Losses.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
The air attack took place at 55 15 00N, 005 55 00W, approximately.
Source: World War II Shipping Loses.
18 August 1953. The wreck lies at 55 37 42N, 005 45 19W, approximately and is not dangerous to shipping.
(Authority unknown)
2 February 1956. The ASKA is confirmed ashore on Cara Island.
25 February 1975. The wreck was dived on in 1966. Part of the machinery shows above the surface.
Letter from P L Sellars, 11 Febraury 1975.
10 March 1992. Wreckage lies on both sides of the reef running N/S off Cara Island at 55 38 13N, 005 45 35W. The majority lies to the west of the reef and the engine block breaks surface at mid-tide in calm conditions. The wreckage lies in 4 to 10 metres of water so close to the reef as to be considered part of it.
Report by P J Moir, 4 March 1992.
Hydrographic Office, 1995.
Note (29 March 2010)
The implied equation of the wreck remians described by Moir with the recorded loss of the Aska is accepted. ]
The cited location remains unverified.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 29 March 2010.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 451
Name : ASKA
Latitude : 553811
Longitude : 54537
Date Built : 1939
Registration : BRITISH
Type : SS (STEEL)
Tonnage : 8323
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 133
Beam : 20
Draught : 8m
Loss Day : 16
Loss Month : 9
Loss Year : 1940
Comment : Attacked by A/C, drifted ashore on Cara
Cargo : FRENCH PERSONNEL
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 003937
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Dangerous wreck
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 55.63688,-5.76077
Horizontal Datum : ETRS 1989
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 55.63688,-5.76077
WGS84 Origin : Block Shift
Previous Position : 55.63695,-5.75972
Position Quality : Precisely known
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 6
Vertical Datum : Mean Low Water Springs
Name : ASKA
Type : S LINER
Flag : BRITISH
Length : 135.6
Beam : 18.6
Draught : 7.6
Orientation : 0.0
Tonnage : 8323
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : TROOPS & GENERAL INCLUDED 600TONS COCOA
Date Sunk : 16/09/1940
Bottom Texture : Rock
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Last Sensor : Diver Sighting
Original Detection Year : 1940
Last Detection Year : 1992
Original Source : Other
Last Source : Divers
Circumstances of Loss : **BUILT 1939 BY SWAN HUNTER, NEWCASTLE. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY BRITISH INDIA STEAM NAVIGATION CO. HIRED INTO GOVERNMENT SERVICE AS A TROOP CARRIER. WHILE PROCEEDING INDEPENDENTLY FROM BATHURST, W AFRICA, TO LIVERPOOL WITH 300 FRENCH TROOPS ON BOARD, SOME OF WHOM WERE LANDED IN FRANCE, 50 BRITISH TROOPS AND 9 OTHER PASSENGERS. WAS BOMBED BY GERMAN AIRCRAFT WHEN BETWEEN RATHLIN ISLAND AND MAIDEN'S ROCK. 12 CREW KILLED. WAS ABANDONED BY PASSENGERS AND CREW, AND DRIFTED ASHORE, ON FIRE, ON CARA ISLAND WHERE SHE BECAME A TOTAL LOSS. PHOTO. (ARGYLL SHIPWRECKS & SHIPWRECKS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND)
Surveying Details : **AIR ATTACK TOOK PLACE IN 551500N, 055500W APPROX. (WW2SL).
**18.8.53 WK LIES IN 553742N, 054519W APPROX. NOT DANGEROUS. (AUTHORITY UNKNOWN). INS AS NDW PA. NC F6629.
**12.11.57 DELETED. (AUTHORITY NOT STATED)
**H01000/40 2.2.56 CONFIRMED ASHORE ON CARA ISLAND.
**25.2.75 WK DIVED ON IN 1966. PART OF MACHINERY SHOWS ABOVE SURFACE. (P L SELLARS, 11.2.75).
**HH100/351/05 10.3.92 WRECKAGE LIES BOTH SIDES OF REEF RUNNING N/S OFF CARA ISLAND IN 553813N, 054535W [OGB]. THE MAJORITY LIES TO THE W OF THE REEF AND THE ENGINE BLOCK BREAKS SURFACE AT MID-TIDE IN CALM CONDITIONS. WRECKAGE LIES IN 4-10MTRS OF WATER SO CLOSE TO THE REEF AS TO BE CONSIDERED PART OF IT. (P J MOIR, 4.3.92). INS AS DW. BR STD.
POSITIONS BELOW THIS POINT ARE IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND DECIMALS OF A MINUTE
**11.4.08 EUT POSN: 5538.213N, 0545.646W. NE 2475.
Chart Symbol : DW
Date Last Amended : 11/04/2008
