- Samtampa
SS "Samtampa" was a 7,219 ton
steamship wrecked onSker Point , offPorthcawl andKenfig ,Wales , in theBristol Channel on23 April 1947 .There were 47 fatalities in the incident, 39 from the ship and 8 volunteer crewmembers of the
Mumbles RNLI rescue team from the lifeboat "Edward, Prince of Wales" who died attempting to save the crew of the "Samtampa". The lifeboat had returned to base, having initially failed to find the vessel, but had been sent out a second time. An oil spill from the tanks of the wrecked ship created an area of calm water, which the lifeboat coxswain, William Gammon (previously a winner of the RNLI Gold Medal), attempted to use to their advantage to enable them to pull alongside. A large wave then capsized the ship on top of the lifeboat, and those who died were choked by the oil rather than drowning. ["The Past Master", BBC Radio Wales ] .A memorial to the victims of the "Samtampa" tragedy is in the New Cemetery at Porthcawl.
The location of the wreck on Sker Point was 03° 44' 26" W; 51° 30' 01" N.
"Samtampa" was built as SS "Peleg Wadsworth" (Hull Number 2203) as part of the
Liberty ship programme inWorld War II , and was launched on12 December 1943 .23 April 2007 marked sixty years since the loss of the "Samtampa", the Mumbles lifeboat and all their crews. In recognition of the anniversary, a church service took place in Porthcawl on Saturday21 April followed by a smaller service at Sker Point [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6581847.stm BBC NEWS | Wales | Tribute for 1947 Mumbles disaster ] ]References
External links
* [http://www.glyn-ryland.com/boiler.html Illustrations of the shipwreck]
* [http://www.coastguard.ukf.net/SAMTAMPA.html Report of the shipwreck]
* [http://www.south-wales.police.uk/fe/master.asp?n1=8&n2=253&n3=368 South Wales Police - The "Samtampa" Tragedy]
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