Charlotta Carlén
04-19-2006, 12:34 AM
MS Humber
MS Humber disappeared February 12, 1956 in rough weather on a journey between Gotland and Oxelösund. Ocean Discovery found her 48 years later in June 29, 2004 east of the north cape of Öland.
The discovery of MS Humber
June 29, 2004 Ocean Discovery was searching the bottom of the sea north of Öland. The Side Scan Sonar soon drew a picture of a small ship at 51 meters depth. We knew it wouldn’t be anything spectacular but decided to dive on the position the next day, just for the fun of it.
http://www.ocean-discovery.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=87&stc=1&d=1145395825
Diving the wreck of MS Humber
During the dives we found the name “Humber” in the stern of the ship. We also found the ships bell witch had the inscription “Sandon 1906”. In the records we found no ship matching “Sandon 1906” but found a match on the name “Humber”. It’s not unusual for ships to carry bells from other ships that have been broken up. Therefore the ships bell is not always the best way to identify a wreck.
We became certain it was MS Humber we had found as the cargo also matched the documentation in the archives. It said she was carrying scrap metal on her last journey when she disappeared in 1956 in the icy waters between Gotland and Oxelösund. The wreck of MS Humber was loaded with scrap metal packed in bundles.
http://www.ocean-discovery.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=88&stc=1&d=1145395955
The bridge has scars from trawl fishing. On the bridge lies the steering wheel for a reversing propeller. The text on the steering wheel for the reversing propeller is Norwegian. It says “Frem” (forward) and “Bak” (reverse). We also found a pair of broken binoculars lying next to the starboard lifeboat davit. Maybe the captain and his crew stood on the bridge searching through the binoculars in hope of spotting rescue somewhere on the icy Baltic Sea.
Both lifeboats where gone, supposedly launched for rescue from the sinking ship. The weather was bad and the sea covered with packed ice. Since there was no functioning radio onboard they could not call for help.
We peeked through the entrance to the small galley and saw cake mould and some simple white Rörstrand soup dish.
The foundering of MS Humber
The last contact with MS Humber was when the icebreaker Thule met her on Sunday evening 20 nautical miles east of Storkläppens lighthouse outside Västervik north archipelago. All seemed normal and Thule thought Humber was heading north towards easier waters with less packed ice. This mistake could have been what cost the crew their lives.
Onboard Humber this last journey was captain Hans Lundkvist, crew Fred Hellstöm, Per Inge Stenmark, Birger Nilsson and the cook Britt Holmstedt, all from Gotland.
On Wednesday Humber was still missing and had not been spotted by other ships. Two aeroplanes, one helicopter and the icebreaker Ymer where sent out on search for MS Humber without result.
Considering her destination it’s possible they searched for her to far north. Maybe Humber got caught in the packed ice and had drifted south towards the north cape of Öland where she finally sank.
It was a great tragedy on Gotland and newspapers in Sweden wrote about the tragic loss of the five seamen. We will never know what happened to the five but most probably they tried to rescue themselves in the lifeboats but froze to death and where lost at sea.
Facts
Humber was built in Bowling, England 1903 by Scott & Sons. She was originally equipped with a steam engine and was named Jane. Her homeport was Liverpool.
1947 her second owner in Liverpool, Kyle Shipping CO LtD sold her to A/S Scanship. In connection with the change of owner se was renamed Ellen Scan. A diesel engine was installed. Her homeport was then Copenhagen.
1952 she was sold again and got the new name Humber. Her new owner was Olle Gillholm and her homeport was now Bohus-Björkö in the Gothenburg area.
Humber measured 31,54 x 7,05 x 3,21 meters, had a tonnage of 240 gross registered ton (110 net) and a 260 hp engine.
MS Humber disappeared February 12, 1956 in rough weather on a journey between Gotland and Oxelösund. Ocean Discovery found her 48 years later in June 29, 2004 east of the north cape of Öland.
The discovery of MS Humber
June 29, 2004 Ocean Discovery was searching the bottom of the sea north of Öland. The Side Scan Sonar soon drew a picture of a small ship at 51 meters depth. We knew it wouldn’t be anything spectacular but decided to dive on the position the next day, just for the fun of it.
http://www.ocean-discovery.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=87&stc=1&d=1145395825
Diving the wreck of MS Humber
During the dives we found the name “Humber” in the stern of the ship. We also found the ships bell witch had the inscription “Sandon 1906”. In the records we found no ship matching “Sandon 1906” but found a match on the name “Humber”. It’s not unusual for ships to carry bells from other ships that have been broken up. Therefore the ships bell is not always the best way to identify a wreck.
We became certain it was MS Humber we had found as the cargo also matched the documentation in the archives. It said she was carrying scrap metal on her last journey when she disappeared in 1956 in the icy waters between Gotland and Oxelösund. The wreck of MS Humber was loaded with scrap metal packed in bundles.
http://www.ocean-discovery.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=88&stc=1&d=1145395955
The bridge has scars from trawl fishing. On the bridge lies the steering wheel for a reversing propeller. The text on the steering wheel for the reversing propeller is Norwegian. It says “Frem” (forward) and “Bak” (reverse). We also found a pair of broken binoculars lying next to the starboard lifeboat davit. Maybe the captain and his crew stood on the bridge searching through the binoculars in hope of spotting rescue somewhere on the icy Baltic Sea.
Both lifeboats where gone, supposedly launched for rescue from the sinking ship. The weather was bad and the sea covered with packed ice. Since there was no functioning radio onboard they could not call for help.
We peeked through the entrance to the small galley and saw cake mould and some simple white Rörstrand soup dish.
The foundering of MS Humber
The last contact with MS Humber was when the icebreaker Thule met her on Sunday evening 20 nautical miles east of Storkläppens lighthouse outside Västervik north archipelago. All seemed normal and Thule thought Humber was heading north towards easier waters with less packed ice. This mistake could have been what cost the crew their lives.
Onboard Humber this last journey was captain Hans Lundkvist, crew Fred Hellstöm, Per Inge Stenmark, Birger Nilsson and the cook Britt Holmstedt, all from Gotland.
On Wednesday Humber was still missing and had not been spotted by other ships. Two aeroplanes, one helicopter and the icebreaker Ymer where sent out on search for MS Humber without result.
Considering her destination it’s possible they searched for her to far north. Maybe Humber got caught in the packed ice and had drifted south towards the north cape of Öland where she finally sank.
It was a great tragedy on Gotland and newspapers in Sweden wrote about the tragic loss of the five seamen. We will never know what happened to the five but most probably they tried to rescue themselves in the lifeboats but froze to death and where lost at sea.
Facts
Humber was built in Bowling, England 1903 by Scott & Sons. She was originally equipped with a steam engine and was named Jane. Her homeport was Liverpool.
1947 her second owner in Liverpool, Kyle Shipping CO LtD sold her to A/S Scanship. In connection with the change of owner se was renamed Ellen Scan. A diesel engine was installed. Her homeport was then Copenhagen.
1952 she was sold again and got the new name Humber. Her new owner was Olle Gillholm and her homeport was now Bohus-Björkö in the Gothenburg area.
Humber measured 31,54 x 7,05 x 3,21 meters, had a tonnage of 240 gross registered ton (110 net) and a 260 hp engine.