Príncipe de Asturias (ocean liner)

Príncipe de Asturias was a Spanish ocean liner, owned by the Naviera Pinillos and built at the Russell & Co. (later Lithgows) shipyard in Port Glasgow, in Scotland; being launched in 1914. She was named after the Prince of Asturias, the historical title given to the heir to the Spanish Crown.

Príncipe de Asturias
History
Spain
Name: Príncipe de Asturias
Owner: Naviera Pinillos
Port of registry: Cádiz
Builder: Russell & Co., Port Glasgow, Scotland
Launched: 30 April 1914
Christened: 1914
Maiden voyage: 16 August 1914
Fate: Sank after running aground in Brazilian coast 5 March 1916
General characteristics
Tonnage: 8,371 gross register tons (GRT)
Length: 447 feet (136.245 m)
Beam: 58,3 feet ( m)
Height: 93 feet
Installed power: Quadruple expansion steam engines, 8,000 Horsepower
Propulsion: Twin propellers
Speed: 18 knots
Capacity: 1,890
Crew: 200

Príncipe de Asturias and her elder sister Infanta Isabel, launched in 1912, were at the time of her construction two of the largest passenger steamship in the Spanish merchant fleet, only second to Reina Victoria Eugenia and Infanta Isabel de Borbón owned by Pinillos's main competitor, Compañía Trasatlántica Española.

In 1916 she was assigned to the Barcelona-Buenos Aires line, with several intermediate ports of call, including Santos in Brazil. Shortly before dawn on 5 March 1916, in the middle of a dense fog the ship ran aground on the shoals out of Ponta do Boi, in the island of Ilhabela, São Paulo, while trying to approach the port of Santos, and it opened a huge role in the hull. The water that entered the Boiler room caused some boilers to explode, and she lost power. After that, she started to list to Starboard, soon capsizing. In 5 minutes, the pride of the Spanish merchant fleet was underwater. At least 445 people out of 588 aboard died during the sinking.

Just one lifeboat was launched, and it has (initially) 20 passengers, but during the dawn and the morning, the lifeboat recovered more than 100 passengers. The French cargo ship Vega rescued 143 passengers, including the swimmer Marina Vidal and the only Brazilian on board, José Martins Vianna.

References
  • García Novell, Francisco (2009). Naufragio, la historia olvidada del Titanic español. Madrid: La esfera de los libros. ISBN 978-84-9734-881-2.
  • Sella, Antoni; Martín, Rodrigo (2002). Vapores. Barcelona: Angle editorial. ISBN 84-88811-99-3.
  • Silvares, José Carlos; Heinde Aranha Moura, RLuis Felipe (2006). Príncipe de Asturias: O Mistério das Profundezas. Magma Editora Cultural.
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