AH-WR-1331

Pelinaion

Tramp Steamer · Greece · Lost 1939 · Bermuda

A Greek tramp steamer carrying iron ore that struck a reef off St. David's Head in 1939 after its captain was unaware the wartime lighthouse had been darkened.

Become Captain of Record

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents.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

Pelinaion was a 385-foot Greek tramp steamer built in 1907, sailing from West Africa to Baltimore, Maryland with a cargo of iron ore when she struck a reef off St. David's Head, Bermuda, on 22 December 1939. Her captain was reportedly unaware that St. David's Lighthouse had been extinguished under wartime blackout conditions. The wreck now lies broken up in about 65 feet of water close to the nearby Rita Zovetta, and was heavily salvaged for scrap metal from 1948 into the 1960s.

Vessel

Built: 1907
Builder: Not established
Yard: Not established
Material: Steel
Length: 385 ft
Beam: Not established
Tonnage: Not established
Propulsion: Steam
Owners: Not established

Loss

Date: December 22, 1939
Cause: Navigational error
Location: Off St. David's Head, Bermuda
Water: Atlantic Ocean off Bermuda
Voyage: West Africa → Baltimore, Maryland
Cargo: Iron ore
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: Not established
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: 10-65
Condition: Broken up in and around the reef; engine near the surface, bow in about 20 feet, extensively scattered debris field.
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Not established