| History | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Nicholas Cuneo |
| Owner | Empresa Hondurena De Vapores |
| Port of registry |  Puerto Cortés,Honduras |
| Route | New Orleans -Havana |
| Builder | Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted - FMV - (Framnæs) A/S |
| Yard number | 65 |
| Completed | April 1907 |
| In service | 1907 |
| Fate | Shelled and sunk 9 July 1942 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Cargo ship |
| Tonnage | 1,051 GRT |
| Length | 65.8 metres (215 ft 11 in) |
| Beam | 9.2 metres (30 ft 2 in) |
| Depth | 6.1 metres (20 ft 0 in) |
| Installed power | 1 x 3-cyl. triple expansion engine |
| Propulsion | Screw propeller |
| Speed | 11.5 knots |
| Crew | 20 |
SSNicholas Cuneo was aHonduranCargo ship that was shelled and sunk byU-571, 47 nautical miles (87 km) North ofHavana in theGulf of Mexico, while travelling fromNew Orleans, United States to Havana, Cuba (23°54′N82°33′W / 23.900°N 82.550°W /23.900; -82.550).[1]
SSNicholas Cuneo was constructed in 1907 at theFramnæs Mekaniske Værksted - FMV - (Framnæs) A/S shipyard inSandefjord, Norway. She was completed in April 1907 and namedNicholas Cuneo. The ship was 65.8 metres (215 ft 11 in) long, with a beam of 9.2 metres (30 ft 2 in) and a depth of 6.1 metres (20 ft 0 in). She was assessed at 1.051 GRT and had one 3-cyl. triple expansion engine driving a single screw propeller. The engine was rated at 132nhp.[1]
Nicholas Cuneo changed owners a number of times during her service years. She was first owned by the Norwegian company Avance D/S from April 1907 to February 1934, after that she was transferred to another Norwegian company Skibs-A/S Aramis where she served until March 1936 when she was sold to the Norwegian company L.A. Larsen. In December 1939 the ship was sold to Empresa Hondurena de Vapores, where she remained until her demise in 1942.[1]
Nicholas Cuneo was travelling fromNew Orleans, United States toHavana, Cuba on 9 July 1942. At 16:01, theGerman submarine U-571 surfaced to investigate the ship according to the prize rules after spotting a blue-white-blue flag. TheU-boat tried to stop the unescorted and unarmedNicholas Cuneo by firing three rounds from her 20mm AA deck gun over the ship.[2]
The vessel however turned away at full speed and sent distress signals, whereupon the next rounds were fired directly at the hull ofNicholas Cuneo. The crew immediately stopped the engines and abandoned ship in one of the ships lifeboats, but oneCuban crew member named Ernesto Balara Lobo was lost.U-571 fired 43 shells from the deck gun atNicholas Cuneo. The ship soon caught fire and the submarine submerged quickly and left the area due to an aircraft arriving at the scene. The 19 survivors were picked up a few hours later by theNicaraguan steam merchant Corinto and were taken to Havana. The destroyerUSS Noa investigated the still burningNicholas Cuneo later that day and reported her being beyond salvage with 26 shell holes visible and a list of 30° to port. The ship subsequently sank at 20.44pm that same day.[2]
The wreck lies 47 nautical miles (87 km) north of Havana in theGulf of Mexico at (23°54′N82°33′W / 23.900°N 82.550°W /23.900; -82.550).[2]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in July 1942 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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