1921 — Oct 24, last communication with oil tanker Santa Rita, New Orleans to Italy, lost — 35

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 5-16-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

—  35  Berman, Bruce D.  Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 190.

—  35  U.S. Bureau of Navigation. Merchant Vessels of the United States…1922, p. 451.

Narrative Information

Berman: “Santa Rita…St.s…5,273 [tons]…1902 [built]…Oct 20 1921 [date of loss]… foundered …Sailed from New Orleans, La., and has not since reported. Steel vessel. All lives (35) lost.”

U.S. Bureau of Navigation. Merchant Vessels of the United States…1922, p. 451:

“St.s….Santa Rita…5,273 [gross tonnage]…1902 [built]…1902 [built]…35 [on board]…35 [lives lost]…Foundered…Unknown [date lost].”

Newspapers

Dec 21: “All vessels afloat have been asked to report any tidings of the oil tanker Santa Rita,^[1] that left New Orleans on Oct. 20, with a cargo of oil for Italy. She was last reported from Key West, Fla., on Oct 24.” (Boston Evening Globe. “Asked to Report Tidings of Tanker Santa Rita.” Dec 1, 1921, p. 3.)

Dec 3: “New York, Dec. 3. – The tank steamship Santa Rita, which sailed from New Orleans Oct. 20 for Spezia, Italy, is reported 18 days overdue.  She carries a crew of about 40 men signed at Baltimore, and is owned by the American Fuel Oil & Transport Co.” (Lowell Sun, MA.  “Tank Steamer 18 Days Overdue.” 12-3-1918, 2.)

Sources

Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. Boston: Mariners Press Inc., 1972.

Boston Evening Globe. “Asked to Report Tidings of Tanker Santa Rita.” Dec 1, 1921, p. 3. Accessed 5-16-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/boston-evening-globe-dec-01-1921-p-3/

Lowell Sun, MA. “Tank Steamer 18 Days Overdue.” 12-3-1918, 2. Accessed at:   http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=56918222

United States Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce.  Fifty-Fourth Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States…For the Year Ended June 30, 1922. Washington:  Government Printing Office, 1922. Accessed 5-16-2025 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=5PXe-NjogGsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

[1] “Built in 1902 at Cleveland under the name of Minnewaska…” (Washington Post. “Tanker 18 Days Overdue.” 12-4-1921, 2.)