Maritime record MWX1647 - Freewill

English tug helping to salvage the oil tanker Scandinavia, when she struck part of the wreck and sank, 1923.

Propulsion: Screw driven, 3 cylinder triple expansion engine Owner: Turner Date of Loss Qualifier: A Whilst engaged as a salvage vessel on the wreck of the SS SCANDANAVIA, was attempting to pull up a piece of iron plate when her bow hawser parted, she went adrift and sat down on the breakwater rocks in a very heavy swell, which caused her to leak and become a total wreck. There were now a total of four new wrecks in the same place in a matter of less than four months. (1)(2) A salvage steamer wrecked while carrying out work on the oil tanker SCANDINAVIA.(3) Additional source: Weymouth Library (photo) L910.4.FR.2 In December 1922 the oil tanker Scandinavia struck the Portland Breakwater during a blizzard, several plates were knocked out of her bottom and she swiftly sank. The wreck was sold for breaking up to the firm of Turners of Weymouth. Work started on dismantling the Scandinavia early in 1923, on the 3rd April the tug Freewill was at work on the site. She was trying to lift a piece of iron plate when her bow hawser snapped. She swung over the part of the breakwater which had sunk the Scandinavia, there was a heavy swell that day which dropped her down heavily on the rocks. She began to leak and swiftly sank. Later that year, after salvage work on the Scandinavia had been completed, the remains of the Freewill were salvaged in their turn. (4) Salvaged The building date for this vessel is an estimate based on an average age at wrecking of twenty years. This average is derived from those vessels wrecked on the Dorset coast whose age at wrecking is known.

Record last edited

Feb 20 2024 7:15AM