68. Struma
Departed Constanta, Romania 11-Dec-1941, arrived 16-Dec-1941
ex-Macedonia, ex-Esperos, ex-Kaphireus, ex-Sea Maid, ex-Xantha, built 1867, 240 gross tons, iron steamer
790 passengers
The 74-year-old Struma with 790 people crowded on board and 10 crew left Constanta on 11 Dec 1941 flying the flag of Panama. The boat was detained at Istanbul as unseaworthy with faulty engine and remained in harbor; the passengers were not allowed on shore. The British wanted the ship returned to Romania. Nine passengers with visas left the ship. After two months of negotiations, the ship still with broken down engines was towed into the Black Sea by a Turkish tug, where it was torpedoed by the Soviet submarine SC-213, on 24 Feb. There was one survivor of this tragedy, 781 plus the crew were lost.
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Book: “”Death on the Black Sea”” by Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins (2003)
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Struma