Wreck of the emigrant ship Kapunda
- When
- 1887
- Where
- Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil; Bahia, Brazil; London
- Episodes
- 3
The British emigrant ship Kapunda sank on 20 January 1887 after colliding with the barque Ada Melmoure in the Atlantic Ocean off Brazil. The vessel was traveling from London to Fremantle with 40 crew and 279 emigrants. The disaster resulted in 303 deaths, including Captain John Masson, leaving only 16 survivors.
Episodes
- Royal Inquiry
A Royal Inquiry in London months later revealed survivors spent time in shark-infested waters clinging to debris.
- Collision and Sinking
Kapunda collided with the barque Ada Melmoure in the Atlantic off Brazil, resulting in the sinking of the emigrant ship.
- Survivor Rescue
Fourteen survivors transferred to the French barque Ulysses for transport to Bahia, while two remained with Ada Melmoure.
Background and detail
Background. Kapunda was a British emigrant ship traveling from London to Fremantle, Western Australia. On 20 January 1887, while in the Atlantic Ocean off Brazil, it carried a crew of 40 and 279 emigrants along with general cargo. The ship collided with the 549-ton barque Ada Melmoure, which was bound from Coquimbo, Chile, to the United Kingdom carrying manganese ore.
Disaster. The collision occurred at 3:20 a.m. on 20 January 1887. The disaster resulted in the loss of 303 lives, including Captain John Masson. Only 16 individuals survived the sinking. According to a Royal Inquiry held in London months later, some survivors spent considerable time in shark-infested waters clinging to floating debris before being rescued.
Survivors. The 16 survivors were the only individuals to escape the disaster. On 25 January 1887, 14 of them transferred from Ada Melmoure to the French barque Ulysses, which transported them to Bahia, Brazil. The remaining two survivors stayed with Ada Melmoure, eventually landing at Maceió after that vessel also sank.
Sources
- Kapunda (ship) Wikipedia, revision of 2025-09-01
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