Comayagua
Honduran Steam merchant
Name | Comayagua | ||
Type: | Steam merchant | ||
Tonnage | 2,493 tons | ||
Completed | 1921 - Newburgh Shipyards Inc, Newburgh NY | ||
Owner | United Fruit SS Co, New York | ||
Homeport | Puerto Cotez | ||
Date of attack | 14 May 1942 | Nationality: Honduran | |
Fate | Sunk by U-125 (Ulrich Folkers) | ||
Position | 19° 00'N, 81° 37'W - Grid DM 8727 | ||
Complement | 42 (7 dead and 35 survivors). | ||
Convoy | |||
Route | Puerto Barrios, Guatemala - Niquero, Cuba | ||
Cargo | Ballast | ||
History | Completed in June 1921 for Cuyamel Fruit Co, New Orleans. In December 1929 transferred to United Fruit SS Co, New York.
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Notes on event | At 18.12 hours on 14 May 1942 the unescorted Comayagua (Master Peter J. Larsen) was hit by one torpedo from U-125 about 14 miles west by south of Georgetown, Grand Cayman. The torpedo struck just forward midships in the boiler room, killing six crew members on watch below. At 18.30 hours a second torpedo hit about 20 feet from the stern and blew it off, causing the ship to sink immediately. The rest of her crew of 38 men and four armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in gun aft and two .30cal guns, one on each bridge wing) abandoned ship in boats and rafts. The U-boat surfaced and Folkers questioned the master, advising him that land was only 10 miles away. Apparently Folkers did not understand the name of the ship correctly as he misidentified the vessel as the British steam merchant Cayuga. 15 minutes later an aircraft of the US Navy appeared and tried to locate the U-boat without success. It then flew off to Georgetown where the pilot dropped a note in the Commissioner’s garden, informing him of the survivors. The motor schooner Cimboco was sent to pick up the survivors and returned them to Georgetown. The Jr. Engineer had been badly burned and died later in the hospital at Georgetown. One armed guard was also badly burned but survived. | ||
On board | We have details of 5 people who were on board. |
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