| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Dara |
| Namesake | Dara Island[1] |
| Owner | British India SN Co[2] |
| Port of registry | London[2] |
| Route | Bombay –Persian Gulf[3] |
| Builder | Barclay, Curle & Co,Whiteinch[2] |
| Yard number | 711[1] |
| Launched | 17 December 1947[1] |
| Completed | June 1948[2] |
| Identification |
|
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | D-class passenger and cargo ship |
| Tonnage | 5,030 GRT, 2,766 NRT, 4,465 DWT[1] |
| Length | |
| Beam | 54.8 ft (16.7 m)[2] |
| Draught | 21 ft11+3⁄4 in (6.70 m)[2] |
| Depth | 23.6 ft (7.2 m)[2] |
| Decks | 2[2] |
| Installed power | 4,200 bhp (3,100 kW)[1] |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h)[1] |
| Capacity | passengers: 20 × 1st class; 30 × A 2nd class; 24 × B 2nd class; 1,377 deck class[1] |
| Crew | 132 |
| Sensors and processing systems | wirelessdirection finding,echo sounding device,radar[2] |
| Notes | sister ships:Dumra,Dwarka,Daressa[3] |
MVDara was a Britishpassenger ship, built in 1948 byBarclay, Curle & Co. Ltd.,Glasgow, Scotland.[4] She travelled mostly between thePersian Gulf and the Indian subcontinent, carryingexpatriate passengers who were employed in thenations of the Gulf.[5]
After a powerful explosion on 8 April 1961,Dara caught fire and sank in the Persian Gulf on 10 April 1961. The disaster killed 238 of the 819 people aboard at the time, including 19 officers and 113 crew.[6] Another 565 people were rescued in an operation by a BritishLanding Ship, Tank, threeRoyal Navy ships, and several British and foreignmerchant ships.[7][8]
Dara sailed fromBombay on 23 March, on a round trip toBasra, calling at intermediate ports. She reachedDubai on 7 April and was unloading cargo, embarking and disembarking passengers when the wind picked up. It quickly reachedforce seven and prevented further work. Another ship that had dragged her anchor in the bad weather collided withDara.
Captain Elson decided to takeDara out of the anchorage to ride out the storm.[8] Due to the conditions there had been no opportunity to disembark those people aboard who did not intend to travel, including relatives and friends seeing off passengers, cargo handlers and various shipping and immigration officials.[9]
At about 04.33 on 8 April 1961, a large explosion struck the port side of the engine casing between decks, passing through the enginebulkhead and two upper decks, including the main lounge. The explosion occurred asDara was returning to the harbour and it started several large fires. The explosion jammed the ship's steering and shut down her main generator. The fire spread rapidly, aided by the wind. Elson ordered the evacuation of the ship.[9]
Launching thelifeboats was impeded by the rough sea, and by the fire spreading below the boat deck. One witness described an overcrowded lifeboat overturning due to the height of the waves. Another lifeboat that had been damaged earlier during the storm was met by the lifeboat of a Norwegiantanker. Several ships were nearby and aid was given by British, German and Japanese ships in the vicinity, as well as boats coming from Dubai,Sharjah,Ajman andUmm Al Qawain.[9]
A nearly completed hotel building in Dubai was taken over as a reception centre for the injured, many of whom were suffering from burns, exposure and wounds from flying metal shards. The tide of injured people overwhelmed Al Maktoum Hospital and field stations were opened at Sheikh Rashid's Customs House office block.[9]
In the days following, three Britishfrigates and the USdestroyerUSS Laffey sent parties aboardDara to extinguish the fires and the ship was then taken in tow by the Glasgowsalvage vesselOcean Salvor, but she sank at 09.20 on 10 April 1961.[4]
The explosion is believed to have been caused by a deliberately placed explosive device, planted by anOmani rebel group or individual insurgents.[10][11] A BritishAdmiralty court concluded, more than a year after the disaster, that an anti-tank mine, "deliberately placed by a person or persons unknown", had "almost certainly" caused the explosion.[12] British Solicitor GeneralSir John Hobson, testifying before the court, said that fighters in theDhofar Rebellion were likely to be responsible, having previously sabotaged British assets.[13] However, no forensic evidence has ever been provided to prove that a bomb was the cause.[4]
The wreck lies at a depth of 15 metres (49 ft).[4]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1961 | |
|---|---|
| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
|
25°34′29″N55°27′58″E / 25.57472°N 55.46611°E /25.57472; 55.46611
