Umtata
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart
| Name | Umtata | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 8,141 tons | ||
| Completed | 1935 - Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Walker-on-Tyne | ||
| Owner | Bullard King & Co Ltd (Natal Line), London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 7 Jul 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-571 (Helmut Möhlmann) | ||
| Position | 25° 35'N, 80° 02'W - Grid DM 2646 | ||
| Complement | 92 (0 dead and 92 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Port Castries, St. Lucia - San Juan, Puerto Rico - Key West - Port Everglades | ||
| Cargo | 2000 tons of mineral ore | ||
| History | Completed in November 1935 At 04.49 hours on 10 March 1942 U-161 fired two torpedoes into the harbour of Port Castries, St. Lucia. The first torpedo hit the Lady Nelson which caught fire and sank by the stern in shallow waters. The second torpedo struck the Umtata which also sank by the stern. However, both vessels were later salvaged and repaired. Four persons of the 140 crew members, four gunners and 33 passengers aboard the Umtata were lost. The ship had been en route from Durban to New York with a cargo of chrome ore, asbestos and meat. On 2 May, she was salvaged, temporarily repaired and then sunk by another U-boat while under tow to Port Everglades for permanent repairs. | ||
| Notes on event | At 09.02 hours on 7 July 1942 the Umtata (Master R. Owen Jones) was torpedoed and sunk by U-571 northeast of Key West in the Florida Strait, while under tow by the American tug Edmund J. Moran. The master and 91 crew members were picked up by the tug, transferred to USCGC Thetis (WPC 115) and landed at Miami. | ||
| On board | We have details of 5 people who were on board. | ||
Attack entries for Umtata
| Date | U-boat | Commander | Loss type | Tons | Nat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Mar 1942 | U-161 | Kptlt. Albrecht Achilles | Damaged | 8,141 | |
| 7 Jul 1942 | U-571 | Kptlt. Helmut Möhlmann | Sunk | 8,141 | |
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