Rio Claro
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| Name | Rio Claro | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 4.086 tons | ||
| Completed | 1922 - Blyth Shipbuilding & Dry Docks Co Ltd, Blyth | ||
| Owner | William Petersen & Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 6 Sep, 1939 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-47 (Günther Prien) | ||
| Position | 46.30N, 12.00W - Grid BE 6689 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 41 (0 dead and 41 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Sunderland - Montevideo | ||
| Cargo | Coal | ||
| History | | ||
| Notes on loss | At 14.18 hours on 6 Sep, 1939, U-47 tried to stop the unescorted and unarmed Rio Claro (Master John Ainsley Robson) northwest of Cape Ortegal by flag signals but the steamer sent distress signals, even after a shot across the bow was fired. So three shots from the deck gun were fired into the bridge. After that the crew abandoned ship and was questioned before the ship was sunk by a torpedo at 14.40 hours. The master and 40 crew members were picked up by the Dutch merchant Stad Maastrecht and landed at Fayal on 11 September. | ||
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