Charted as TEXACO CARIBBEAN (FOREWARD SECTION), 'partial wreck' in the Marine zone. A dangerous
wreck.
Vessel remains:
Lies in position 50°58.98N, 001°17.42E at a depth of 21m in a general depth of 26m.
Sonar dimension: 28.9 x 19.7 x 5.2m. Orientation: 145°. Debris are close to the wreckage.
Her 'mast was removed, forecastle deck, to a depth of 71ft, cut, lifted and laid flat on seabed' in May 1971. (1,
18.6.71) By 1972 the wreck had been cleared to a depth of 70ft. (1, 17.5.72)
An echo-sounder survey in 1986 revealed that the wreckage was 'lying north to south, two areas of wreckage with no
vertical extent lying 260° - 140m; and 185° - 120m from the south end of the wreck.' (1, 33.86)
The last multi-beam survey of the remains in 2007 revealed them to be still 'intact, with debris items nearby.' (1,
31.8.07)
Documentary evidence:
'Vessel sank following collision and violent explosion having struck the Peruvian motor vessel PARACAS. Initially the
wreck lay for some time with her stern afloat and her bow on the sea bed, at which point she broke in two. The
following day the German BRANDENBURG hit her stern and sank, and on 28.02 the NIKI ran into both wrecks and
also sank.'
'There was little excuse for either of the latter to have struck the TEXACO CARIBBEAN since the wreck was well
buoyed and lit; as it was, several other ships missed disaster only by yards as they steamed at full speed through the
danger area apparently oblivious to the situation.' This source shows a photograph of the sinking vessel.
The sinking of the TEXACO CARIBBEAN and the events that followed seem to have been a catalyst for the
formalisation of the Traffic Separation Scheme, which 'had been set up some years before [and which had been]
voluntary, [until this,] the most serious [of] incidents, [in which] the tanker Texaco Caribbean was in collision with a
freighter off the Varne shoals and the following night the wreck was struck by the freighter Brandenburg, which also
sank. Some six weeks later, the freighter Niki struck the wreckage and sank with the loss of all 21 people on board...
The company Risdon Beazley from Southampton was contacted to remove the wrecks of the Texaco Caribbean, the
Brandenburg and the Nikki. The operation lasted 18 months. During that time the area was signalled by 2 lightships
and 14 lighted buoys.'
A house of commons sitting on March 1st 1971 concluded that given the level of markings around the wrecks of the
TEXACO CARIBBEAN and BRANDENBURG, the third accident involving the NIKI 'should not have occurred.' It
was in this house sitting that pressure was put on the government to make the 'two-way flow system compulsory.'
'Action was taken through the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which resulted in the formation of the Dover
Strait Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS). Shipping is separated into two lanes divided by a separation zone. There are
two inshore traffic zones: one English and one French. The scheme was the first to be set up in the world and also the
first to be under radar surveillance.'
Built: 1964 ; 1965
Where built: Japan ; Kiel
Builder: Kiel Howaldtswerke A G ; Mitsui Zosen-Tmn
LBD: 175.3 x 23.8 x 9.8m ; 174.9 X 23
Tonnage: 13604 grt ; 20545 grt - Source 7 lists this as her displacement tonnage.
Propulsion: Screw-driven steam turbine
HP: 13750
Speed: 17 knots
Crew: 30 ; 29
Crew lost: 7 ; 8
Owned Ternes Panama Incorporated
The varying place of build and builder of the vessel cannot be reconciled.