There’s another “unsinkable” ship that did not live up to the hype but instead of an iceberg being its biggest opp, it was a hurricane off the coast of Salt Island, BVI.
The British Royal Mail Steamer Rhone was built in England in 1865 and at that time, one of the most advanced vessels in the world. The ship survived multiple bad storms throughout 1865 and 1866 which led to the notion that it was “unsinkable.”
On October 29, 1867, the Rhone and another RMS, Conway, had been at Great Harbour Peter Island for a week refueling when a category 3 Hurricane, San Narcissco hit them off guard.
The two captains agreed that it would be best to transfer all of Conway’s passengers to the Rhone due to its history for weathering rough seas.
Captain Wooley realized that his next decision would be critical. He made the call to head away from land towards open sea.
The common maritime practice at the time was for passengers to tie themselves to their bunks to avoid being tossed around.
The eye passed but the tail battered the Rhone with its 130 mile per hour winds, throwing it onto Black Rock Point. The hit threw Wooley overboard never to be seen again.
The cold sea water touching the fiery boilers resulted in an explosion that ripped the Rhone in half. The explosion was so loud, the locals on Salt Island rushed to help the victims in the midst of a raging hurricane.
Secured to their bunks, the passengers were unable to escape. 23 crew members survived.
While it is known that 146 people boarded the Rhone in England without knowing how many passengers transferred from the Conway, it’s impossible to know the exact number of people that perished.
Today, the wreck of the RMS Rhone still lies at the bottom of the ocean. It became the BVI’s first national marine park in 1980 and is one of the most popular diving spots in the world.
