Cayrú
Brazilian Steam merchant
Name | Cayrú | ||
Type: | Steam merchant (Hog Island) | ||
Tonnage | 5,152 tons | ||
Completed | 1919 - American International Shipbuilding Corp, Hog Island PA | ||
Owner | Cia de Navegação Lloyd Brasileiro, Rio de Janeiro | ||
Homeport | Rio de Janeiro | ||
Date of attack | 9 Mar 1942 | Nationality: Brazilian | |
Fate | Sunk by U-94 (Otto Ites) | ||
Position | 39° 10'N, 72° 02'W - Grid CA 5654 | ||
Complement | 89 (53 dead and 36 survivors). | ||
Convoy | |||
Route | Rio de Janeiro - Para - New York | ||
Cargo | General cargo, including leather, oil, cotton and cacao | ||
History | Laid down as Clairette, completed in November 1919 as Chickasaw for US Shipping Board (USSB), Philadelphia. 1932 renamed Scanmail for Moore-McCormack Lines Inc, New York. 1940 sold to Brazil and renamed Cayrú. | ||
Notes on event | At 02.25 hours on 9 March 1942 the unescorted Cayrú (Master João Moreira Pequeno) was hit in the foreship by one torpedo from U-94 about 130 miles from New York. The ship broke in two and sank by the bow after being hit amidships by a coup de grâce at 02.45 hours. All crew members and 14 passengers abandoned ship in four or five lifeboats and were questioned by the Germans. 22 crew members and four passengers were picked from a lifeboat by the Norwegian motor merchant Titania and landed at New York on 9 March. On 11 March, six survivors and one body were picked up by the American coastal minesweeper USS AMc-202 in 40°32N/71°40W and landed the next day at New London, Connecticut. This boat originally contained 21 survivors but most were lost during a gale which probably sank the other lifeboats. Alltogether the master, 46 crew members and six passengers were lost. | ||
On board | We have details of 33 people who were on board. |
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