# River Gurara



## Principe_Perfeito (Aug 21, 2005)

Hello to all.

Does anyone have information and perhaps some pictures of the RIVER GURARA?
She was made famous several years ago for her very mediatic sinking in Cape Espichel (near Setúbal) and now has become the most dived wreck in our coast.
But I don't have any decent photos or information on her.

Thanks in advance.

Best regards from Lisbon,
Paulo Mestre


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## benjidog (Oct 27, 2005)

Ciao Paulo,

I guess you have already looked on the net but in case you didn't I found a picture of her about to disappear beneath the waves on Shipspotting.com but all you can see is the roof: http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=77996

Other than that the only references are to wreck diving. Hopefully one of the SN members will have a picture for you,
Brian


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## Principe_Perfeito (Aug 21, 2005)

Hello Brian.

I already looked closely in the web, and found nothing significative, thanks for the links, for sure the image of the final plunge was taken from newscasts of the time.

The problem with the wreck sites is that they are made by diving experts, and not shipping experts (*)) 

As I recall, the winter of 1989 was a really harsh one, with several ships sunk on our coast. I'm pretty sure that in that year, a car carrier, whose name now I don't recall, capsized in our coast and since the hull still had buoyancy, she was a danger to navigation and had to be sunk by gunfire!

Best regards,
Paulo Mestre



benjidog said:


> Ciao Paulo,
> 
> I guess you have already looked on the net but in case you didn't I found a picture of her about to disappear beneath the waves on Shipspotting.com but all you can see is the roof: http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=77996
> 
> ...


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## Palmship (Jul 24, 2005)

Hi, I have a photo somewhere in my collection, drop me an email and I'll scan it and send it to you. River Gurara 13194/80 built by Brodogradiliste i Tvornica Dizel Motora "Split"


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## tanker (May 26, 2004)

They were 8 sisterships built from 1979 by Ys.Split for Nigeria:RIVER ADADA-OJI-MAJIDUN-OLI-OSHUN-OGBESE-MAJE ,Interesting cago ships .
Gp (*))


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## msfunchal (Feb 9, 2006)

Hello,

I have just joined this forum. My name is LUIS MIGUEL CORREIA and I am a shipping historian and photographer based in Lisbon.

Concerning the Nigerian cargo liner RIVER GURARA, she was lost a few miles from my home in the winter of 1989, near Cape Espichel on the Portuguese West coast. She had an engine breakdown and had to anchor off the coast. Due to bad weather, she draged her anchor and sunk just in front of the cape. The tentative rescue of the crew was very dramatic and we could see the ship's captain being taken from the bridge wing by the very heavy seas.

Later logs from her wood deck cargo were discovered to have drugs concealed inside...

Luis Miguel Correia in Lisbon (Thumb)


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## msfunchal (Feb 9, 2006)

Hello,

I have just joined this forum. My name is LUIS MIGUEL CORREIA and I am a shipping historian and photographer based in Lisbon.

Concerning the Nigerian cargo liner RIVER GURARA, she was lost a few miles from my home in the winter of 1989, near Cape Espichel on the Portuguese West coast. She had an engine breakdown and had to anchor off the coast. Due to bad weather, she draged her anchor and sunk just in front of the cape. The tentative rescue of the crew was very dramatic and we could see the ship's captain being taken from the bridge wing by the very heavy seas.

Later logs from her wood deck cargo were discovered to have drugs concealed inside...

Luis Miguel Correia in Lisbon (Thumb)


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## msfunchal (Feb 9, 2006)

*d*

Paulo, 
Eu tenho uma fotografia boa do RIVER GURARA, enviada há muitos anos pela companhia, a Nigerian National Lines, de Lagos...

Um abraço

Luis Miguel Correia [email protected]********

Ahoy Luis,
*"desculpas companheiro"*
Once again, I have edited out an email address posted on an Open Forum. This is not a good idea as, although with the best of intentions, it may result in some unwelcome mail arriving in your Inbox, and that's what you're not waiting for, isn't it?
If any Members wish to reply to Luis, you can do so via a PM[Private Message]

Note:Btw, why not post that piccie here?

até logo !


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## Yemmi Agbebi (Mar 18, 2012)

I sailed on the M.V Gurara, River Andoni, River Ogbese, Herbert Macaulay & the M.V Oranyan.

Unfortunately, the misfortune of the Gurara and her crew, was that they foundered off Portugal, where the Coast Guard were as useful as a Chocolate Fireguard! Instead of coming to the aid of this ship, the Portuguese turned the sinking of the Gurara, it into a spectacle, as over 45 good and brave sailors died!

Had the Gurara foundered in the Solent, Irish Sea or in the English Channel all 45 sailors would still be alive today.

Y



msfunchal said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have just joined this forum. My name is LUIS MIGUEL CORREIA and I am a shipping historian and photographer based in Lisbon.
> 
> ...


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## johnnyboy (Sep 3, 2012)

hello everyone.i lost my dad in 1989.he was an engineer and he lost his life in the river gurara wreck.i was very young at that point but remember seeing the news on national tv back in Nigeria.as a grown man i have been searching the web to see if i can find videos and photo of how it exactly happened in portugal.my Dad is Engr. Godwin Ezeh.He was a fourth engineer.i still remember the names of some of his colleages who used to visit us back then.Capt Nwosu,Mr fateye Mr ugele and some others.when reading the comment of Yemmi Agbebi here,i was having serious goose bumps cos he was a merchant navy too at nnsl.i hope i can meet people on the internet who survived the wreck or their families.and the families of those who lost their lives too.it is gonna be a kind of soul soothing therapy for me.i want know thier experiences etc.thanks guys.videos and pictures are highly welcomed.


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## Yemmi Agbebi (Mar 18, 2012)

johnnyboy said:


> hello everyone.i lost my dad in 1989.he was an engineer and he lost his life in the river gurara wreck.i was very young at that point but remember seeing the news on national tv back in Nigeria.as a grown man i have been searching the web to see if i can find videos and photo of how it exactly happened in portugal.my Dad is Engr. Godwin Ezeh.He was a fourth engineer.i still remember the names of some of his colleages who used to visit us back then.Capt Nwosu,Mr fateye Mr ugele and some others.when reading the comment of Yemmi Agbebi here,i was having serious goose bumps cos he was a merchant navy too at nnsl.i hope i can meet people on the internet who survived the wreck or their families.and the families of those who lost their lives too.it is gonna be a kind of soul soothing therapy for me.i want know thier experiences etc.thanks guys.videos and pictures are highly welcomed.


Johnny Boy, I'm sorry to learn your dad was lost on the Gurara.

The Captain of the Gurara Tola, was a personal friend of mine, and in fact his wife and children who accompanied him on the ill fated journey, were due to stay with us on their arrival in the UK.

Fateye, who was either the Chief or Second Officer on the Gurara, was my class mate at the School of Navigation in the UK. Fateye was a quiet an unassuming Navigator who is still missed.

I don't have any pictures or video and I wish you well in your search. In conclusion, had it not been for the cowardice of the Portuguese Rescue Services and the Portuguese Navy, your father who was my junior at the time, would still be alive today.

Best regards

Yemmi


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## johnnyboy (Sep 3, 2012)

@ Yemmi,I am very grateful for the reply Sir.I just want to believe that God knows why it ended the way it did.He could have saved them if He wanted to.I remember the last time i saw the families of the Gurara crew and the suvivors, was at the Cathedral @ Marina Lagos where a service was held for the dead and thanksgiving was organised for the survivors.I didnt really understand and realise what was going on.just noticed people were crying.The only thing that hurts is that i didnt have the chance to grow up with my dad and know him more.I pray that the souls of the dead continue to rest in the bossom of God Almighty.Bless you Sir


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## HAMANIM (Oct 3, 2008)

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=75304

A bit late but this links to her sister the River Majidun both the River Gurara and the River Majidun had Stulken Derricks; the other sisters were without this see link below:

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2335690

River Oshun, River Adada, River Oli, River Oji, River Maje and the River Ogbese were this class. Built in Split of the former Yugoslavia.

If I find out how to load pictures I will post the River Gurara here although it is visible on a google search.


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## HAMANIM (Oct 3, 2008)

Pics here


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## HAMANIM (Oct 3, 2008)

One more:

http://www.nautilus-sub.com/index.php?Pagina=admin/modulos/galerias/ver_galeria&VerGaleria=7

I understand that this sinking was used as a precedent in case law regarding packages for monetary concerns, little is said about the crew who sadly lost their lives, see link:

http://www.gard.no/web/updates/content/52968/when-is-a-package-not-a-package-the-river-gurara


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## Unregistered (May 4, 2008)

principe_perfeito said:


> hello to all.
> 
> Does anyone have a picture of the river gurara?
> 
> ...











Click to enlarge.


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## Modupe OGUNSANYA (Jan 29, 2021)

Yemmi Agbebi said:


> Johnny Boy, I'm sorry to learn your dad was lost on the Gurara.
> 
> The Captain of the Gurara Tola, was a personal friend of mine, and in fact his wife and children who accompanied him on the ill fated journey, were due to stay with us on their arrival in the UK.
> 
> ...


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## Bolade Abiola Ogundein (10 mo ago)

Yemmi Agbebi said:


> Johnny Boy, I'm sorry to learn your dad was lost on the Gurara.
> 
> The Captain of the Gurara Tola, was a personal friend of mine, and in fact his wife and children who accompanied him on the ill fated journey, were due to stay with us on their arrival in the UK.
> 
> ...


 Hello Yemmi,

My name is Bolade. 

I am Capt. Tola's last baby. I just chanced on this page and it huts a bit to hear about how the Portuguese Rescue Services and Navy played a role in his death. 

Anyways its quite lovely to hear from someone who knew my dad. Its just a pity I was less than 2 years old when he died so all I know about him is from the stories shared about him. 

Best Regards 
Bolade


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