Funnel supplied by Aingeru Astui

Flag supplied by Aingeru Astui


Antartico
Grounding and lost at Santander








Antartico by Teo Diedrich
      She was built on 1914 as Sicily. On 1933 changed her name toPagasitikis, and on 1937 to François. She had this name for short time because on the same year was seized in the Strait of Gibraltar by the auxiliary cruiser Mallorca. Durante el resto de la guerra navegó camuflado como Vigo. En 1939 fue rebautizado como Castillo Andrade y pasó a Elcano al formarse esta.
Shipyard / Year Richardson, Duck & Co. / 1914
Name Sicily
Owner / Year M.A. Embiricos
Name Pagasitikos
Owner / Year Soc. Com. d'Affretements et de Comm.
Name François
Owner / Year Gobierno Español / 1937
Name Vigo
Owner / Year Gerencia de Buques Mercantes / 1939
Name Castillo Andrade
Until 1945
Dead weight 4,722 MT
Gross register 3,457 GRT
Length 116.0 mtr
From 1951 - Converted to reefer vessel
Dead weight 6,000 MT
Gross register 5,507 GRT
Length 122.7 mtr
Breadth 14.6 meters
Depth 10.8 meters
Propulsion
Until 1945 Reciprocating triple expansion
Power 1,400 H.P.
From 1951 Diesel engine MAN G8VN84
Power 1,980 H.P.
Incorporated 1942
Name Castillo Andrade
Name 1951 Antartico
Wrecked 06/10/1959 - Santander


Antartico by Teo Diedrich
      On 10/January/1944 she caught fire when berthed in Vigo. The town's firemen were helping to extinguish it, but the water used flooded to the hold nº 2, where there were 2,000 drums of calcium carbide. There was a big blast that blew up the accomodation and the deck forward to it, killing seven persons. The ship had been anchored close to Moaña to protect the piers, and sunk after the blast.

Antartico by Teo Diedrich
      She was refloted on 1945 and steamed under her own propulsion to Sestao, although escorted by the Castillo Figueras. She was there repaired and reformed by the S.E.C.N. changing completely her look, being also lengthened a meter and half. The reform included transforming two hold in refrigerated ones, with all the ancillary equipment needed. Also the reciprocating triple expansion machine was changed, installing a diesel engine MAN G8VN84 with 1,890 H.P. This engine was not new, it was recovered from the Ciudad de Malaga, owned by Trasmediterránea, that was sunk on 8/January/1936 after a collision with the Cape of Good Hope when leaving Las Palmas de Gran Canaria bound to Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Antartico - Collection F. Estrañi
View from Santander, with one of the Santander's great ship photographers, Fernando Estrañi.
Antartico - Collection F. Estrañi

Antartico por Teo Diedrich
The other two Santander's great ship photographers. Above Teo Diedrich, below José Manuel Blánquez "pushing the ship".
Antartico por Teo Diedrich


Pagasitikos
This photo shows her original look, and in the other photos can be seen the big transformation.


Antartico by Teo Diedrich
      The reform also included a new accomodation with capacity for 12 passengers. Her look changed completely because also a new modern funnel was installed, changing from the look of a XX Century early years steamer to a modern appearance. She left the shipyard on 1951 to continue with her already long life, but her cargo was reduced from 6,000 to 4,500 MT.

Antartico - Collection P. Blanco


Antartico by Teo Diedrich
      On 06/October/1959 she grounded at Las Quebrantas, due to a main engine brakedown, when arriving in Santander from Lobito (Angola) with manganese ore. It was thought that she could be rescued, but the tugboats did not have success.

Antartico by Teo Diedrich
      Those days the tides did not help to the refloating, and was tried to improve the options unloading part of the cargo to two small coasters, owned by Vapores Costeros: Toñin and Maria Santiuste. The work was carried out slowly due to the lack of equipment and power, and the vessel was getting buried in the sand. The works slowness allowed the arrival of the autumn storms, getting the vessel more buried, and avoiding completely the rescue. Before the end of the month the last crewmembers, who remained onboard to help in the works, disembarked.

Antartico by Teo Diedrich
      After that the autumn and winter storms broke and destroyed her. On the first three photos can be seen how close to shore she was, and the boat and pilot ladder used for ship access. On the fourth can be seen how the storm waves struck against her during the high tides.

Antartico by Teo Diedrich
      The last four show how she was being destroyed, and the few rests after the company that was awarded the scrapping started its job.

Antartico - Collection J. Lamelas
Emergency steering wheel
Antartico - Collection J. Lamelas
Plate on the wheel
Antartico - Collection J. Lamelas
Emergency dynamo and Alleway inlet plates
Antartico - Collection J. Lamelas


Antartico - Collection S. Pérez Calleja
This screenshot from Google Maps shows the vessel's remainings, at El Puntal beach
Antartico - Collection S. Pérez Calleja
The storms of February and March 2014 have left the remains of the ship exposed, which can be seen well at low tide.



  Spanish version 



Back to ENE (2)  Back to Index  Go to ENE (3)

AM © 2013-2024