AH-WR-0705

SS Iberia

Steamer · France · Lost 1888 · Long Island & the New York Approaches

A French steamer sheared nearly in two by the Cunard liner Umbria in dense fog off Long Island in 1888, now a well-known 'Wreck Valley' dive.

Become Captain of Record See Shipwreck on Map

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Historically Reconstructed. Drawn from partial documentation of this vessel together with her known class and configuration. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

Iberia was a French cargo and passenger steamer inbound from the Persian Gulf when the Cunard liner Umbria collided with her in fog off Long Island, tearing away much of her stern. Her crew evacuated safely aboard the Umbria, but a bulkhead gave way hours later and she sank while awaiting a tow. Divers today explore both the main hull and a separately located stern section identified in 2011.

Vessel

Built: 1881
Builder: S & H Morton & Co.
Yard: Leith, Scotland
Material: Steel
Length: 255 ft
Beam: 36 ft
Tonnage: 1388
Propulsion: Steam, single screw
Owners: Fabre Line

Loss

Date: November 11, 1888
Cause: Collision
Location: Off Long Beach, Long Island, New York
Water: Atlantic Ocean
Voyage: Persian Gulf → New York
Cargo: 28,000 crates of dates, hides, coffee
Aboard: 30
Lives lost: 0
Master: Sagolis

The Wreck Today

Depth: 60 ft
Condition: Broken and partially salvaged; stern and rudder lie separately from the main wreck, the stern section identified as a distinct site in 2011
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: 2011 (stern section identified separately)
Protection: Not established