 Fatshan sailing under theSwire flag of theChina Navigation Company and British Hong Kong likely taken between 1933 and 1941 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg) Hong Kong | |
| Name | Fatshan |
| Namesake | City ofFatshan (now Foshan),Canton Province |
| Builder | Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company,Hong Kong |
| Yard number | 262[1] |
| Launched | 1933[2] |
| Sponsored by | China Navigation Company |
| Fate | Captured byImperial Japanese Army in December 1941 after theBattle of Hong Kong. |
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Nankai-201 |
| Operator | Inland River Operations Company |
| Builder | Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company |
| Acquired | December 1941 |
| Commissioned | 1941 |
| Fate | Requisitioned by IJN as troop and supply transport, renamed asKoto Maru |
| Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Koto Maru |
| Operator | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Builder | Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company |
| Acquired | 1942 |
| Commissioned | 1942 |
| Stricken | 1945 |
| Fate | Returned toChina Navigation Company in August 1945 |
.svg) Hong Kong | |
| Name | SSFatshan |
| Owner |
|
| Builder | Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company |
| Acquired | August 1945 |
| Commissioned | 1951 |
| Decommissioned | 1971 |
| Stricken | 1971 |
| Identification | |
| Fate | Sank on 16 August 1971 duringTyphoon Rose[6] |
| General characteristics (asFatshan) | |
| Class & type | Steam poweredferry |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 241 ft (73.5 m)[1][4] |
| Beam | 45.5 ft (13.9 m)[1][4] |
| Depth | 11 ft (3.4 m)[1][4] |
| Installed power | 71nhp. 2,600 ihp (1,900 kW)[1][4] |
| Propulsion | Triple expansion steam engine[1][4] |
| Speed | 13knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) |
| Boats & landing craft carried |
|
| Capacity |
|
SSFatshan (Chinese:佛山輪[3]) was apassenger ferrysteamer which sank in stormy seas offLantau Island duringTyphoon Rose resulting in the loss of 88 lives.[8][5]
Fatshan was ordered by theChina Navigation Company as a replacement for the previousFatshan to take up its relevant duties on the ferry service betweenHong Kong andCanton after 45 years of service.[1][4]
The ship was built at theTaikoo Dockyard's lot 262 by theTaikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company, delivered to China Navigation Company in 1933. She was powered by a four-cylindertriple expansionsteam engine producing 71nhp and displacing 2,639gross register tons.[1][4]
In December 1939,Fatshan was underway under the command of Captain Whyte en route to Canton from Hong Kong when the steamer struck a submerged object which tore a large hole into the ship's hull near the engine room. Captain Whyte managed to beach the steamer on nearby Japanese-occupiedLin Tin Island, avoiding its sinking. A passing British warship,HMS Tarantula of theChina Station came to the ship's rescue, transferring around 1,800 passengers and their baggage onto the gunboat.[9] The passengers were later transferred from the warship ontoSS Kinshan of theHongKong Canton & Macao Steamboat Company.[10]
In August 1940,Fatshan was detained by Japanese authorities overSwire's refusal to pay piloting fees. The detention led to a brief diplomatic incident between British and Japanese colonial authorities before the ship was finally released in April 1941.[11]
In December 1941,Fatshan was captured by theImperial Japanese Army after their victory in theBattle of Hong Kong and renamed asNankai-201.[1][4]
DuringJapanese rule ofHong Kong and until around 1942,Nankai-201 continued operating as a ferry service between Hong Kong andCanton, likely with the Inland River Operations Company. In 1942, the ship was renamed asKoto Maru and began carrying out duties including troop and supply transport in the region for theImperial Japanese Navy.[12]
On 9 August 1944,Koto Maru was spotted and reported on by agents of theBritish Army Aid Group as part of their Naval Section's Kweilin Intelligence Summary No. 70. The ship was recorded as having arrived at Hong Kong around 18 July from Canton and had been laid up for repairs at theTaikoo Dockyard for repairs to itsstern,hull,propeller, andrudder for discharge on around 1 September. The vessel was recorded as having alight grey colour scheme with armament modifications including ananti-aircraftmachine gun on thebridge and was crewed by 4 Japanese, 30 Chinese and 6 Indian sailors.[12][13]
An earlier sketch ofKoto Maru from September 1944 indicated that there was no significant changes to the ship's peacetime configuration aside from the colour scheme and light armament.[14]
In August 1945 with thereestablishment of British rule inHong Kong,Fatshan was returned to theChina Navigation Company.[3]
In January 1949,Fatshan participated in the opening of thePearl River'sElliot Passage carrying the British delegation to officiate the ceremony.[1] In May 1950, theCommunist government passed legislation barring foreign vessels from calling atCanton. As a result,Fatshan was moved to the Hong KongMacao route.[1]
In May 1951,Fatshan was acquired bySir Tsun-Nin Chau for theMan On Shipping and Navigation Company.[15] At the time,Fatshan was one of the main ferry boats operating theHong Kong toMacao route, the others being MVTai Loy and SSTak Shing.[3]
In July 1951,Fatshan was acquired from Man On by the newly formedYu On Shipping Company (裕安輪船). Yu On had been founded in that same year byYuen-Cheong Liang,Ho Yin, andHo Tim. YC Liang had previously made use ofFatshan in 1945 when he was charged with ferrying relief supplies to Hong Kong fromMacao after the end ofWorld War II.[3]
By 1961, competing ferry services on the Hong Kong to Macao route were set up with the establishment ofStanley Ho'sShun Tak Shipping. The competition for the route further escalated in the mid to late 60's with the introduction ofhydrofoil ferry services.[3]
In 1968, Stanley Ho'sTai Tak Hing Shipping Company, a Shun Tak subsidiary, acquiredFatshan together with SSTai Loi from Yu On and continued sailing the vessel on the Hong Kong Macao route.[3]
On 16 August 1971,Fatshan was sailing with a complement of 92 passengers and crew when she was caught in a severe storm brought about byTyphoon Rose. The vessel was forced to anchor offStonecutters Island due to the heavy winds.[8] During the course of the storm, the ship's anchor was broken and it was apparently struck by several drifting ships causingFatshan to capsize and sink about 120 metres (390 ft) offshore ofLantau Island at a depth of about 6 metres (20 ft) of water. 88 lives were lost as a result of the sinking.[16] Only four people survived the sinking ofFatshan and the wreck was not discovered until the tide went out and a passing ship found floating bodies.[8][5]
Salvage rights were sold to Lai Man Yau in September 1971 and operations to raiseFatshan took place over the course of around three months following the disaster.[5][1]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1971 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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