Category: Aliyah Bet Ship List 1

76. Lily

Departed Mersin, Turkey Jul 1943, arrived Famagusta, Cyprus Jan 1943

Former Danish auxiliary yacht

30 passengers

Organized by Mossad

Danish yatch Lily was purchased by Mossad 1941 in Istanbul to transfer refugees who had reached Turkey to Palestine. Boat was unregistered and Turkey would not permit the boat to transfer passengers from the Struma. In spring of 1943 permission was received to move the boat to Mersin. In July 1943 Lily took 30 Bulgarian refugees from Mersin to Cyprus. It sailed for Haifa with no passengers but was sunk by gunfire from German submarine U-596 off Beirut on 21 Aug 1943.

75. Europa

Departed Sulina, Romania 20-Sep-1942, wrecked

15 gross tons

21 passengers

Went aground at Karaburnu, Sep 1942 & capsized (Date?) Refugees went to Palestine by rail.

74. Viitorul

Departed Braila, Romania 21 Sep 1942, wrecked 4 Oct 1942

46 gross tons

120 passengers

Wrecked near Karaburnu in storm, north of Istanbul, 4 Oct 1942. All refugees saved, sent overland and interned in Cyprus.

Photograph source: Rachelle Bennett

73. Dora

Departed Braila, Romania Aug 1942, arrived 16-Sep-1942

15 passengers

Arrived at Istanbul 23 Aug, Mersin 15 Sep. Wrecked near Karatas, south of Adana, 16 Sep 1942. Refugees sent to Cyprus.

72. Dor de Val

Departed Romania before May1942, arrived Jul 1942

20 passengers

Wrecked in the Bosporus. Refugees stranded in Turkey, sent to Cyprus.

71. Mircea

Departed Constanta, Romania 10-Apr-1942, arrived 20-May-1942

34 passengers

Arrived in Palestine.

70. Mihai

Departed Romania 14 Mar 1942, arrived 8 May 1942

yacht

19 passengers

Arrived in Istanbul 17 Mar where three with visas left the boat. Stayed in Istanbul over a month. Arrived in Palestine after a 3-month voyage. [British intelligence originally reported 1400 passengers]

69. Euxenia

Departed Sulina, Romania 1942, arrived Apr 1942

12 tons.

13 passengers

Wrecked off Izmir, 24 Apr 1942. Refugees stranded in Turkey, sent to Cyprus.

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.

”
Book: “”Death on the Black Sea”” by Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins (2003)

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67. Crai Nou

Departed Romania May 1941, arrived 21 Jun 1941

12 tons, small motor boat

12 passengers

A small Romanian motorboat which reached Cyprus in May 1941. Stranded at Selefke en route but was salvaged.

66. Hainarul

Departed Romania Apr 1941, arrived Apr 1941

19 passengers

A small Romanian motorboat which foundered off Syria in April 1941. Name also given as Hoinar.