Charted as ELEONORA 'entire wreck' in the Marine zone. A dangerous wreck.
Vessel remains:
Lies in position 51°08.96N, 001°30.06E at a depth of 18.8m in a general depth of 25m.
Sonar dimension: 86 x 39 x 7m. Orientation: 118°. Scour depth 2m.
'Intact, upright,...bows east, scour to north and south.'
In 1981 her condition was reported as 'apparently upright with considerable wreckage/containers strewn about the hull.
A secondary obstruction lies approximately 90m north of the main wreck.' (1, 10.2.81) She has been subject to
dispersal the previous year, and when examined by multi-beam in 2007 she still appeared intact. (1, 13.4.07)
Documentary evidence:
'Passage from Casablanca and Cadiz for Felixtowe. Sank following collision in dense fog with Belgian cross-channel
ferry PRINCESS MARIA EXMERALDA...'
'Vessel sank following collision with the Belgian m.v. multi-purpose vessel PRINSES MARIA ESMERALDA, whilst
carrying 66 containers of wine. In the collision her deck cargo, consisting of 18 containers, broke free. The crew saved
were rescued by the same tugs that rounded up the floating container fill of sherry.'
Built: 1973
Where built: Hamburg ; Neuenfelde
Builder: JJ Sietas Schiffwerf ; Hamburger Elbe Shiffswerke
LBD: 77.4 x 13.1 x 4m ;
Tonnage: 500 grt ; 499
Propulsion: Screw-driven diesel engine
Speed: 13.5 knots (3)
Number of crew is not known but 2 were lost.
Ownership / registration:
Built and completed as the OBOTRITA, and renamed the ELEONORA in 1979). Owned at the time of loss by
Peter Dohle Schiffahrts KG.
She is recorded as the OBOTRITA, ex-ELEONORA in Source 6, but given how she appears in other sources this
appears to be an error.