ES Antilla
Cargo Ship · Germany · Lost 1940 · The Lesser Antilles
A German freighter deliberately scuttled by her crew off Aruba on the day the Netherlands fell to Nazi Germany.
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The Vessel and Her Loss
Antilla was a modern German turbo-electric freighter built for Caribbean trade routes. Caught in Aruban waters when Germany invaded the Netherlands in May 1940, her captain scuttled the ship rather than let her be seized by Dutch authorities. She now lies largely intact and is one of the Caribbean's largest diveable wrecks.
Vessel
- 1939
- Call sign DKBA
- Deutsche Werft
- Hamburg, Germany
- Steel
- 398 ft
- 56 ft
- 4363
- Turbo-electric transmission, single screw
- Hamburg America Line (HAPAG)
Loss
- May 10, 1940
- Intentional sinking
- Malmok Bay, Aruba
- Caribbean Sea
- Galveston, Texas (sheltering in Aruba) → Germany
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Ferdinand Schmidt
The Wreck Today
- 60 ft
- Largely intact, lying on its side
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
Position
- 12.60° N 70.06° W
- Approximate position
- Malmok Bay, Aruba
Rounded position off Malmok Bay's northern coast.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (85/100)
Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed (Maritime and Underwater Heritage database)
Construction details and scuttling narrative.
Wreck location and dive context.
