Pacific Star
British Steam merchant
Pacific Star under her former name Otaki. Photo courtesy of State Library of New South Wales
| Name | Pacific Star | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 7,951 tons | ||
| Completed | 1920 - Barclay, Curle & Co, Whiteinch, Glasgow | ||
| Owner | Blue Star Line Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 27 Oct 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-509 (Werner Witte) | ||
| Position | 29° 15'N, 20° 57'W - Grid DH 7531 | ||
| Complement | 96 (0 dead and 96 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SL-125 | ||
| Route | Rosario - Freetown (16 Oct) - Liverpool | ||
| Cargo | 5037 tons of frozen meat and general cargo | ||
| History | Launched as War Jupiter, completed in Februar 1920 as Otaki for New Zealand Shipping Co, Plymouth. 1934 sold to Clan Line Steamers (Cayzer Irving & Co), Glasgow and renamed Clan Roberston. 1938 sold to J.A. Billmeir & Co Ltd, London and renamed Stanfleet. 1939 sold to Blue Star Line Ltd, London and renamed Pacific Star. | ||
| Notes on event | At 22.33 and 22.38 hours on 27 Oct 1942, U-509 fired torpedoes at convoy SL-125 northwest of the Canary Islands and hit the Pacific Star and Stentor. The Pacific Star (Master Griffith Lawrence Evans) did not sink but the crew had to abandon her the next day in 29°21N/19°28W, she was last seen still afloat on 30 October. The master, 59 crew members and eleven gunners made landfall at Santa Cruz de la Palma, Canary Islands and were brought to Gibraltar by the Spanish tanker Campilo together with 25 crew members who landed at Tenerife and were brought to Santa Cruz de la Palma by the Spanish merchant Ciudad de Valencia. The master Griffith Lawrence Evans was awarded the OBE. | ||
| On board | We have details of 3 people who were on board. | ||
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.