MV Struma

British yacht Xantha in about 1890
In 1941 she was renamed Struma
History
Name
  • Xantha (1867–88)
  • Sölyst (1888–92)
  • Sea Maid (1892–1901)
  • Kafireus (1901–30)
  • Esperos (1930–33)
  • Makedoniya (1933–41)
  • Struma (1941–42)
Owner
  • The Marquess of Anglesey (1867– )
  • Thomas Chivers (1873– )
  • Viscount Macduff (1875– )
  • William Barneby (1877– )
  • Harry Edwards (1887– )
  • John Phipps (1895– )
  • DE Hadji Constanti & Bros (1901– )
  • Thrakiki Atmoploia (1916– )
  • Socratos Goumaris & Co ( –1930)
  • Giorgios Mylonas (1930–33)
  • Dimiter Nenkov (1933–41)
  • Jean D Pandelis (1941–42)
Port of registry
  • United Kingdom Newcastle (1867– )
  • United Kingdom Colchester (1871– )
  • United Kingdom Liverpool (1892– )
  • Greece Syros (1901– )
  • Greece Thessaloniki ( –1933)
  • Bulgaria 1933–41
  • Panama 1941–42
BuilderPalmers SB & Iron Co
Yard number217
Launched23 June 1867
Completed1867
Identification
FateTorpedoed and sunk by Shch-213, 24 February 1942
General characteristics
Type
Tonnageafter 1901: 240 GRT; 158 NRT
Length
  • 1867: 116.0 ft (35.4 m)
  • 1875: lengthened to 134.0 ft (40.8 m)
  • 1901: lengthened to 148.4 ft (45.2 m)
Beam19.3 ft (5.9 m)
Draught
  • 1867: 9.0 ft (2.7 m)
  • 1901: 9.9 ft (3.0 m)
Installed power
Propulsionsingle screw
Sail planthree-masted schooner (as built)
Crew10 (1941–42)

MV Struma was a small ship with a long history that included a number of changes of use and many changes of name. She was built in 1867 as a British marquess's luxury steam yacht and ended up 75 years later as a Greek and Bulgarian diesel ship for carrying livestock. She was launched as Xantha, but subsequently carried the names Sölyst, Sea Maid, Kafireus, Esperos, Makedoniya and finally Struma.[1][2]

As Struma she tried to take nearly 800 Jewish refugees from Romania to Palestine in December 1941. Turkey detained her in Istanbul because Britain refused to admit her passengers to Palestine. In February 1942 a Soviet submarine torpedoed and sank Struma in the Black Sea after Turkish authorities had towed her out to sea and cast her adrift.

  1. ^ "Steamers & Motorships under 300 tons, Trawlers &c.". Lloyd's Register (PDF). Vol. 1. London: Lloyd's Register. 1932. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  2. ^ Allen, Tony; Lettens, Jan (22 December 2012). "SS Struma (Струма) (+1942)". WreckSite.eu. Retrieved 25 March 2013.