1906-08-04
Luogo: Cape Palos on the Mediterranean coast of Spain
The Sirio was an Italian steamer built in Glasgow, suitable for the transport of Italian emigrants; launched in 1883, she was shipwrecked in 1906 off the coast of Cape Palos in Cartagena. Its tragic shipwreck, in which between 293 and 500 people perished, represents one of the most serious naval disasters of the Italian merchant marine and one of the worst disasters, together with the sinking of the ships Utopia, Principessa Mafalda and Orazio, which involved the emigrants Italians bound for the Americas.
The ship sailed from Genoa on August 2, 1906 for Buenos Aires with calls in Barcelona, Cadiz, Gran Canaria, Cape Verde, Rio de Janeiro, Santos and Montevideo. As scheduled, the day following the departure, the Sirio docked in Barcelona. After embarking other passengers, the steamer left the Catalan capital for Cadiz.
On 4 August, the ship passed Cape Palos on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. At this point the promontory extends under water to then re-emerge to form the small Hormigas Islands. The depth of the water on the ideal line that joins the cape to these islets can be very shallow, reaching just three or four meters in some areas, called "bassi". The shipping lanes of the time therefore circled outside the islands to avoid the danger of these slums. Furthermore, a large lighthouse was built above Cape Palos in 1864 to warn of the dangers of this coast. In the same afternoon, around 4.00 pm, the ship, which was continuing at full speed, ran aground near Cape Palos because she was keeping a course too close to the shore. Furthermore, the bow was seen to rise violently from the water due to the high speed, as also described in the testimony of the commander of the French ship Maria Louise, who witnessed the fact and participated in the rescue operation:
«I saw the Italian steamer Sirio go by, sailing at full steam. I was pointing out her passage to my colleague on board when I observed that he had suddenly stopped ... I saw the bow rise, sinking the stern. There was no longer any doubt: the Sirius had been impacted. I immediately directed the Marie Louise towards the Sirius. We then heard a violent explosion: the boilers had burst. Shortly after we saw corpses on the waves, at the same time desperate cries calling for help reached our ears.
The ship sailed from Genoa on August 2, 1906 for Buenos Aires with calls in Barcelona, Cadiz, Gran Canaria, Cape Verde, Rio de Janeiro, Santos and Montevideo. As scheduled, the day following the departure, the Sirio docked in Barcelona. After embarking other passengers, the steamer left the Catalan capital for Cadiz.
On 4 August, the ship passed Cape Palos on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. At this point the promontory extends under water to then re-emerge to form the small Hormigas Islands. The depth of the water on the ideal line that joins the cape to these islets can be very shallow, reaching just three or four meters in some areas, called "bassi". The shipping lanes of the time therefore circled outside the islands to avoid the danger of these slums. Furthermore, a large lighthouse was built above Cape Palos in 1864 to warn of the dangers of this coast. In the same afternoon, around 4.00 pm, the ship, which was continuing at full speed, ran aground near Cape Palos because she was keeping a course too close to the shore. Furthermore, the bow was seen to rise violently from the water due to the high speed, as also described in the testimony of the commander of the French ship Maria Louise, who witnessed the fact and participated in the rescue operation:
«I saw the Italian steamer Sirio go by, sailing at full steam. I was pointing out her passage to my colleague on board when I observed that he had suddenly stopped ... I saw the bow rise, sinking the stern. There was no longer any doubt: the Sirius had been impacted. I immediately directed the Marie Louise towards the Sirius. We then heard a violent explosion: the boilers had burst. Shortly after we saw corpses on the waves, at the same time desperate cries calling for help reached our ears.
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