# Lost at sea



## neilsaunders (Jun 28, 2017)

Hello,
I'm trying to locate a ship that my ancestor who lived in Bombay, India was on that sank around 1960. The ship apparently sank while travelling from Aden to the UK (Southampton?). From looking at maps of the period, it seems there was a standard route from Bombay via Aden through the Suez, stopping at Port Said and on to the UK. The person travelling was Laura ALASIA (nee Riordan). She travelled from Bombay and Calcutta to the UK throughout the 40's and 50's so I assume this was a standard journey for her. I've consulted the shipwrecks list on wikipedia but the difficulty is not knowing the exact date. Can anyone help?
Many thanks and best wishes,
Neil


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## D1566 (Sep 7, 2009)

Seems to appear in the National Archives;
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bi...=0&gsln=alasia&gsln_x=0&MSAV=1&MSV=0&uidh=000
fee needs to be paid to read the records.


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## neilsaunders (Jun 28, 2017)

Thanks Martin. Yes, these are her earlier trips (and other family members). I suppose what i'm looking for is help to find the name of the ship that sunk around 1960 on the Bombay -> Aden -> Suez -> UK route.


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## Roger Bentley (Nov 15, 2005)

*Possible link*



neilsaunders said:


> Hello,
> I'm trying to locate a ship that my ancestor who lived in Bombay, India was on that sank around 1960. The ship apparently sank while travelling from Aden to the UK (Southampton?). From looking at maps of the period, it seems there was a standard route from Bombay via Aden through the Suez, stopping at Port Said and on to the UK. The person travelling was Laura ALASIA (nee Riordan). She travelled from Bombay and Calcutta to the UK throughout the 40's and 50's so I assume this was a standard journey for her. I've consulted the shipwrecks list on wikipedia but the difficulty is not knowing the exact date. Can anyone help?
> Many thanks and best wishes,
> Neil


Neill, I have copies of Sea Breezes for 1960 and 1961. The April 1961 gives details of a disaster for the Indian Navigator outward bound from Liverpool to Calcutta which occurred 31 December 1960. When a violent explosion in No 4 Hold affected the engine room and No 5 hold. She was 60 miles from the Scilly Isles and had to be abandoned with the loss of one life, survivors being picked up by the Blue Funnel ship Menestheus and Holland America liner Dalerdyk. Another ship of the same company the Indian Success put a salvage team of 13 on board the stricken ship in an attempt to salvage her and take her in tow, sadly another explosion caused the Indian Navigator to sink with the loss of all the salvage crew. I hope this is of some use. Cheers, Roger


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## neilsaunders (Jun 28, 2017)

Thanks Roger. Some digging found the article in The Times. Doesn't look like this is the one unfortunately. Laura was widowed by 1960, her children grown up. Perhaps she was travelling as a passenger on a commercial ship that sank? I haven't found any big passenger ships that sank around 1960 on the UK -> Aden -> Bombay route. I'm now looking at the Lanterna (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shipwrecks_in_1960#August) but haven't found a passenger manifest yet!


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## Roger Bentley (Nov 15, 2005)

*Ship lost*



neilsaunders said:


> Thanks Roger. Some digging found the article in The Times. Doesn't look like this is the one unfortunately. Laura was widowed by 1960, her children grown up. Perhaps she was travelling as a passenger on a commercial ship that sank? I haven't found any big passenger ships that sank around 1960 on the UK -> Aden -> Bombay route. I'm now looking at the Lanterna (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shipwrecks_in_1960#August) but haven't found a passenger manifest yet!


Many thanks Neil, Quite a few of the cargo ships on the India UK trade did have some passenger accommodation, and did carry passengers from time to time. I recall at least three occasions in Brocklebanks where we did take some. Will keep looking for any losses that might fit the bill. Best regards, Roger


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## neilsaunders (Jun 28, 2017)

Thanks Roger. A new piece of information indicates the ship may have sunk after leaving Gibraltar heading towards the UK. I'm expanding my search now. Looking at older shipping routes, it appears stopovers in Malta and Gibraltar did occur when UK bound from Aden and India.


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## Roger Bentley (Nov 15, 2005)

neilsaunders said:


> Thanks Roger. Some digging found the article in The Times. Doesn't look like this is the one unfortunately. Laura was widowed by 1960, her children grown up. Perhaps she was travelling as a passenger on a commercial ship that sank? I haven't found any big passenger ships that sank around 1960 on the UK -> Aden -> Bombay route. I'm now looking at the Lanterna (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shipwrecks_in_1960#August) but haven't found a passenger manifest yet!


Neil, I see that the Lanterna is described as a coaster, I very much doubt that this vessel would have had any passengers, as the article says there were only nine persons aboard! They were almost certainly the crew in total. Again if your relative had travelled to Aden or Colombo to take passage there would be a great number of vessels of different nations that she could have caught. Regards, Roger


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