 Russian hospital shipPortugal | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Imperial Russia | |
| Name | Portugal |
| Owner | Brazil and River Plate Line |
| Operator | Imperial Russian Navy |
| Builder | Messageries Maritimes Company,La Ciotat |
| Yard number | 63 |
| Launched | July 1886 |
| Fate | Sunk by a torpedo from theU-boatU-33 on March 30 [O.S. March 17] 1916.[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Cruise liner |
| Tonnage | 5357 tons |
| Displacement | 7720 tons |
| Length | 460 ft (140 m) |
| Beam | 46 ft (14 m) |
| Installed power | 4800 HP |
| Propulsion | Triple expansion engine |
| Speed | 16.5 knots |
| Capacity | |
SSPortugal (Russian:госпитальное судно "Португаль") was asteamship originally built by a French shipping company, but requisitioned for use as aRussianhospital ship during theFirst World War. On March 30 [O.S. March 17] 1916 she was sunk by a torpedo from theGermanU-boatU-33.[2]
She was originally built in 1886 for the Brazil and River Plate Line of theMessageries Maritimes Company. She was chartered or purchased by the Russians for use as a hospital ship in theBlack Sea.[3] The ship, serviced to take up wounded soldiers along the sea shore Ardeshen, Rize Port, Fakhtia, Tiribon and Of, the ship could have the chance to make only five voyages, beginning on 27 February 1916.[4]
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March 30 [O.S. March 17] 1916, 1916,Portugal was towing a string of small flat-bottomed boats to ferry wounded from the shore to the ship. OffRizeh, on the Turkish coast of theBlack Sea, she had stopped as one of the small boats was sinking and repairs were being made. The ship was not carrying wounded at the time, but had a staff ofRed Cross physicians and nurses on board, as well as her usual crew.[5]
The ship's crew saw aperiscope approaching the vessel but as the ship was a hospital ship and protected by theHague conventions no evasive actions were taken. Without warning the submarine fired atorpedo which missed. The U-boat,U-33, came around again fired a torpedo from a distance of 30 feet (9.1 m), which hit near the engine room, breaking the ship into two pieces.[5]
On July 8 [O.S. June 25] 1916, another Russian hospital ship, namedVperiod (Вперёд; also transcribed, French-style, asVperiode) was sunk between Rizeh andBatum, allegedly by GermanU-boatU-38. The boat was not carrying wounded, as she was on her tripto the frontline. Seven people died, the rest were saved.[6]
The Russian government claimed that Turkish forces sankPortugal,[7] andVperiod.[8] The Turkish government replied that both ships were sunk by mines.[7]
42°00′36″N41°11′24″E / 42.01000°N 41.19000°E /42.01000; 41.19000
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in March 1916 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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