MV Spice Islander I

Spice Islander I was a 836 GRT Ro-Ro ferry which was built in Greece in 1967 as Marianna. She was renamed Apostolos P following a sale in 1988. She was sold to a Honduran company in 2007 and renamed Spice Islander I. On 10 September 2011, she sank resulting in the deaths of 1,573 people; many of whom were never recovered.[2]

Spice Islander I in Stone Town 2010
History
Name:
  • Marianna (1967–1988)
  • Apostolos P (1988–2007)
  • Spice Islander I (2007–2011)
Owner:
  • Thelogos P Naftiliaki (−1988)
  • Apostolos Shipping (1988–1999)
  • Saronikos Ferries (1999–2005)
  • Hellenic Seaways (2005–2007)
  • Makame Hasnuu (2007–2011)
Port of registry:
  • Piraeus, Greece (1967–2007)
  • San Lorenzo, Honduras (2007– )
  • Zanzibar, Tanzania ( –2011)
Way number: 456
Launched: 1967
Completed: 1967
Out of service: 10 September 2011 (sank)
Identification:
Fate: Sank
General characteristics
Class and type: Marry
Tonnage:
  • 836 GRT
  • 663 NRT
  • 225 DWT
Length: 60.00 metres (196.85 ft)
Beam: 11.40 metres (37.4 ft)
Installed power: 2 Poyaud 12VUD25 diesel engines
Propulsion: Screw propeller
Capacity: 645 passengers
Crew: 45 crew

Spice Islander I under tow by USS Stout in 2007

Description

The ship was 60.00 metres (196.85 ft) long, with a beam of 11.40 metres (37.4 ft). She was assessed at 836 GRT, 663 NRT, 225 DWT. The ship was propelled by two Poyaud 12VUD25 diesel engines, of 1,560 horsepower (1,160 kW).[3]

History

Built in 1967 as Marianna for an unknown owner, she was later sold to Theologos P. Naftiliaki of Piraeus, Greece. In 1988, Marianna was sold to Apostolos Shipping and renamed Apostolos P. She was later sold to Saronikos Ferries and placed in service on the Piraeus – Aegina – Agistri route.[3]

In 2005, Apostolos P was registered to Hellenic Seaways. In 2007, she was sold to Makame Hasnuu of Zanzibar, Tanzania, and renamed Spice Islander I.[3]

On 25 September 2007, Spice Islander I was off the coast of Somalia when she experienced engine problems due to contaminated fuel. After the alarm had been raised via Kenya, USS Stout from Combined Task Force 150 was sent to her aid.[4] The ship was on a voyage from Oman to Tanzania and was not carrying any passengers. USS James E. Williams also responded. Stout provided the ship with 7,800 US gallons (30,000 l; 6,500 imp gal) of fuel and supplied the ten crew with food and water. After her engines were restarted, she resumed her voyage to Tanzania.[5]

Loss
Main article: Sinking of the MV Spice Islander I

At 21:00 local time (19:00 UTC) on 9 September 2011, Spice Islander I set sail from Unguja for Pemba Island. She was reported to have been carrying an excess of 800 passengers.[6] Her capacity was 45 crew and 654 passengers.[3] At around 01:00, (local time) on 10 September (23:00, 9 September UTC) Spice Islander I sank between Zanzibar and Pemba. Of those on board, 620 were rescued[6] only 240 bodies were recovered,[7] and the death toll was placed at 2,976;[8] however this estimate was revised downward in January 2012 to 1,573.[2]

References
  1. "Spice Islander I (8329907)". Equasis. French Ministry for Transport. Retrieved 2011-09-12.
  2. Sadallah, Mwinyi (20 January 2012). "MV Spice Islander's report: Try marine executives, ship owner". IPP Media.
  3. "M/S Apostolos P." (in Swedish). Fakta om Fartyg. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  4. "M/V Spice Islander, Marlo Success Story" (PDF). 2007 MARLO Conference. Maritime Liaison Office. December 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-19.
  5. "USS Stout Assists Distressed Vessel Off Somali Coast". United States Navy. 27 September 2007. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  6. "'Hundreds missing' in Zanzibar ferry disaster". BBC News. 10 September 2011.
  7. Wang, Yamei (12 September 2011). "At least 240 bodies retrieved in ferry sinking in Tanzania". Xinhuanet.com.
  8. Sadallah, Mwinyi (16 October 2011). "Confirmed: 2,900 people died in Zanzibar`s ferry tragedy". IPP Media. Archived from the original on 12 January 2016.
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