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Afrique

A Happy Team

This dive is not for the novice, requiring slack water lying on a seabed composed of mud, sand and gravel it tends to be a dark dive irrespective of the weather, powerful torches are required (with a second redundancy back advised). Although upside down the wreck is surrounded by plenty of debris. Holes have begun to appear in the hull due to corrosion but they should not be penetrated. Best dived at high slack water on neap tides it is really only suitable for advanced divers with experience and no lay off.

GPS Latitude:

54°36.908' N

GPS Longitude:

000°42.451' W

System:

WGS84

Division:

1'=1000

Local Position:

5 miles north of Whitby and 2 miles off shore

Accuracy:

precise 10m~40m

Chart No. / Title:

134 / Tees to Scarborough

Seabed Depth (m):

43 m - 47 m

Orientation:

137°

 

Vessel Type:

Armed Merchant Ship

Nationality:

French

Propulsion:

Steamer

Gross Tonnage:

2457 grt

Dimensions (m):

90 x 12.5 x 6.1

Date Built:

1911

Builder:

Ateliers & Chantiers de France, Dunkirk

Owner:

Compagnie Des Bateaux À Vapeur Nord

Engine:

Triple expansion, two boilers, single screw by Atel and Ch de France, Dunkirk

Power:

223 nhp

Date of Loss:

12 / 06 / 1918

Cause of Loss:

Torpedoed

Cargo:

Iron Ore

 

Hydrographic Data

**17.6.18 SANK 0.5M OUTSIDE TRACK NEAR L BUOY W (?) OF WHITBY. (PILOTS REPORT, TH LETTER).
**H3752/26 11.6.26 INS AS NDW (PA) (1918) IN 543700N, 004200W.
**M011438 22.6.18 A P REPORT POSN 543600N, 004400W.
**3.4.74 AMEND TO USCPA 28MTRS. NC 134.
**9.5.85 AMEND TO USCPA 35MTRS. NE 134 & NE 1191.
**H5103/83 22.9.86 FASTENER IN 543656N, 004209W. POSN BY DECCA. (KINGFISHER OBSTN BOOKLET - WHITBY AREA).
**H6331/87 2.2.89 EXAM'D 2.7.88 IN 543654N, 004221W [OGB] USING TRISPONDER [4 LOP]. LEAST E/S DEPTH 41.4 IN GEN DEPTH 47MTRS. NO SCOUR. DCS3 HT 5.5MTRS. LIES 137/317 DEG. V DECAYED AND SPREAD OVER AREA 100 X 25 MTRS. HIGH POINT AT CENTRE. (LAND & MARINE, HI 414B). BR STD.
**HH100/351/09 12.6.95 PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT TO BE 'AUDAX'. POSITIVE IDENTITY FROM THE BELL. STEERING PEDESTAL RETRIEVED. TWO BOILERS WITH DONKEY BOILER TO STBD. TRIPLE EXPANSION ENGINE WHICH HAS SHIFTED TO THE PORT SIDE OF THE WK AND LEANS TOWARDS THE SDBD SIDE. ENGINE MIDSHIPS. LARGE GUN ON STERN. (A C JACKSON/C A RACEY).

Reference Used: UK Hydrographic Office

 

Wreck History

Built for Cie des Bateaux a Vapeur du Nord, Dunkirk; Yard No 80; Date of completion 11/1911; On 12/06/1918 the AFRIQUE was on passage from Bilbao to Middlesbrough with a cargo of iron ore. The vessel foundered and was lost after being torpedoed by the German submarine UC.40 off Runswick Bay.
Positive identification from the ship’s bell located by Ian Graham Furby on 3rd July 1994.

CARL RACEY (SSAC)

 

General Information

The Afrique was in ballast on passage from Bilboa to Middlesbrough under the command of Captain Chandler when she foundered after being struck by a torpedo by the German submarine UC40 on the 2nd June 1910.

Bridge Lamp

Afrique Ships Bell

Ships Wheel Pedestal

Photographs courtesy of Carl Racey

 

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