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Shipwreck of the Elbe, January 1895 The terrible tragedy of the Elbe’s collision, By Pascal Kainic Tragic collision in the North Sea for the liner Elbe Initially, the weather was ideal, but there were tremendous seasrunning by the night of January 29. At half past five in the morning of Wednesday , January 30th 1895, theNorth German Lloyd steamer “Elbe” came into collision 47 milessouth-west from the Haaks lightship off Lowestoft with another ship,the small British steamer ”Craithie” and in 20 minutes foundered… The liner “Elbe” of 4510 tons and 125 meters long, had only leftBremen on the previous day for Southampton and New York, carried 199passengers and a crew of 149, most of the souls on board being ofGerman nationality. Only 20 survived this terrible disaster from which5 passengers. At the time of the collision, most of those in the steamer were asleepand, startled by the awful shock, they rushed on to the deck too lateeven to catch a glimpse of the vessel which had cause the accident.The “Elbe” was struck abaft the engine-room and the inrush of waterthrough the large hole soon caused the steamer to sink. Instantly the officers tried to calm the terror-stricken passengersand commenced lowering the boats. There was a heavy sea at the timeand one of the boat was quickly swamped. Each of the other two wasfilled directly, amid great excitement, with 20n persons, but only oneboat survived the storm. This was picked up by a Lowestoft smack, the“Wildflower”, and reach the harbor safely in the afternoon. No tidings have come to hand concerning the fate of the other boats.The men of the “Wildflower” were attracted by the signals of wavingclothes and sails, and with courage and kindness, rescued this remnantof survivors. The sinking of the “Elbe” with a loss of so many livescreated consternation , shock and indignation in the whole of Europeand the United States. There was worldwide criticism, especially in the press of the actionof the ”Craithie” in leaving the disaster area. A Lowestoft inquirywas completed in May of the same year and it was agreed that the”Craithie” was too badly damaged to render assistance to anyone onboard the “Elbe”. However, the jury decided that the collision was dueto gross negligence of the mate Craig then in charge on the”Craithie”. The wreck lies now under approximately 16 fathoms of the cold watersof the North sea.
Roger
Engelken
