SS Karnak (1898)

SS Karnak was a French Passenger ship turned Troop transport that the German submarine SM U-32 torpedoed on 27 November 1916 in the Mediterranean Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) south south east of Valletta, Malta. Karnak was carrying mostly troops from Marseille and Malta to Saloniki, Greece.[1]

SS Karnak when she was named Annam between 1899 and 1904
History
Name:
  • Annam (1899-1904)
  • Tourane (1904-1912)
  • Karnak (1912-1916)
Namesake: Karnak, Egypt
Owner: Messageries Maritimes
Port of registry: Marseille, France
Ordered: 1898
Builder: Messageries Maritimes, La Ciotat
Yard number: 114
Launched: 1898
Completed: 1898
Acquired: 1899
Maiden voyage: 1899
In service: 1899
Out of service: 27 November 1916
Identification: IMO/Off. no.: 5601059
Fate: Torpedoed and sunk
General characteristics
Type: Passenger ship
Tonnage: 6,816 GRT
Length: 142 metres (465 ft 11 in)
Beam: 15.5 metres (50 ft 10 in)
Depth: 11 metres (36 ft 1 in)
Installed power: 2 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engines
Propulsion: 2 screw propellers
Sail plan: Marseille - Malta - Saloniki
Speed: 18 knots
Capacity: 394 Passengers

Construction

Karnak was built at the Messageries Maritimes shipyard in La Ciotat, France in 1898. Where she was launched and completed the following year. The ship was 142 metres (465 ft 11 in) long, had a beam of 15.5 metres (50 ft 10 in) and had a depth of 11 metres (36 ft 1 in). She was assessed at 6,816 GRT and had 2 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engines driving two screw propellers. The ship could reach a maximum speed of 18 knots thanks to her 20 boilers generating 832 n.h.p.. She also had 2 funnels and a white hull which was later repainted to black.[2]

Sinking

During World War I Karnak was used as a Troop transport by the French admiralty mainly on the route Marseille - Malta - Saloniki. It was during a voyage from Malta to Saloniki, Greece when the with troops crowded Karnak was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine SM U-32 on 27 November 1916, 70 nautical miles (130 km) south south east of Valletta, Malta. The ship sank in 15 minutes and claimed the lives of 17 people, but the number of survivors is unknown.[2]

Wreck

The wreck of Karnak lies at (35°07′N 15°25′E), but the current condition of the wreck is unknown.[1]

References
  1. "Karnak". uboat.net. 1995. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  2. "SS Karnak [+1916]". wrecksite.eu. 31 December 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
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