Fort Massac Wreck

Field Value
Wreck Category dangerous wreck
Fort massac Wreck Location
Marine Coordinates (DMM) 		51 53.363 N,1 32.605 E
Latitude, Longitude
Decimal Degrees
  • Latitude: 51.889383
  • Longitude: 1.543417
Wreck Depth 3.5 m
Water Depth 13 m
Water Level Effect always under water/submerged
Vertical Datum Approximate Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name FORT MASSAC
Type steam ship
Flag GB
Length 129.2 m
Width 17.4 m
Draught 10.7
Sonar Length 113
Sonar Width 17.4
Shadow Height 8.4
Orientation 80
Tonnage 7157
Tonnage Type gross
Cargo general and mixed goods
Conspic Visual not visually conspicuous
Conspic Radar not radar conspicuous
Date Sunk Feb 1, 1946
Bottom Texture Sand
Original Detection Year 1946
Last Detection Year 2008
Original Source other
Markers W CARD, VQ(9) 10S & E CARD, VQ(3) 5S, 'E & W FORT MASSAC'
Surveying Details H833/46 2.2.46 H833/46 2.2.46 MIDSHIPS & AFTER PART OF WRECK OF 'FORT MASSAC' ABOVE WATER. POSN 515321N, 013242E, OR 283DEG, 1.5M FROM SUNK LTV. (C IN C NORE, 2.2.46). ST WITH G CAN, GP.FL(2) G 10S, CLOSE NW. - NM 681/46. H833/46 17.4.46 H833/46 17.4.46 'EMPIRE BRIDGE' SANK ALONGSIDE WRECK OF 'FORT MASSAC' WHILST ENGAGED IN SALVAGE OPERATIONS. LIES 30FT BELOW WATER PARALLEL TO & 33FT AWAY FROM FORT MASSAC ON HER STBD SIDE. (NOIC HARWICH, 13.4.46). NCA. H833/46 14.2.49 H833/46 14.2.49 AMEND BUOY TO G CON, GP FL(3) G 10SEC, CLOSE E. (TH NM 13/49). - NM 333/49. H833/46 20.7.49 H833/46 20.7.49 'CORCREST' SANK AFTER STRIKING WRECK OF 'FORT MASSAC'. (CINC NORE, 22.6.49). COMBINED SYMBOL ST & G CAN, GP.FL(2) G 10S, CLOSE NW. (TH NM). - NM 1390/49. H3510/51 18.6.51 H3510/51 18.6.51 DISPERSAL OPS IN PROGRESS. (MARINE CONTRACTORS LTD, SOUTHAMPTON). H3510/51 2.5.53 H3510/51 2.5.53 SALVAGE OPS IN PROGRESS. BUOYS LAID. (MARINE CONTRACTORS, LTD). H3510/51 24.6.57 H3510/51 24.6.57 SALVAGE OPS, USING EXPLOSIVES, IN PROGRESS. (GRAY & THOMPSON). H3510/51 16.4.59 H3510/51 16.4.59 SALVAGE OPS ON 'FORT MASSAC' STILL IN PROGRESS, BUT DISPERSAL OPS ON 'CORCREST' DISCONTINUED. (GRAY & THOMPSON, 15.11.57). H3510/51 12.2.60 H3510/51 12.2.60 NO LONGER VISIBLE. LEAST E/S DEPTH 11FT. (HMS ECHO HN 3.11.59). AMEND TO WK 1FM 5FT (BUOYS AS AT 25.9.57). BR STD. H3510/51 13.9.60 H3510/51 13.9.60 SALVAGE OPS SUSPENDED. (GRAY & THOMPSON). H1144/65 3.8.65 H1144/65 3.8.65 LEAST E/S 13FT IN 44FT. VERY STRONG A/S CONTACT & MASSIVE E/S TRACE. POSN 515320N, 013243E. (HMS ECHO 29.10.64). H1144/65 5.6.69 H1144/65 5.6.69 SWEPT 22.5.69. CLEAR 8FT, FOUL 9FT [LAT]. (HMS ENTERPRISE, HN 1/69). H2134/70 25.2.70 H2134/70 25.2.70 SWEPT CLEAR 2.5MTRS, FOUL 2.8MTRS. LEAST E/S DEPTH 2.8MTRS IN GEN DEPTH 12.6MTRS. SCOUR 13.2MTRS. MAIN WK SURROUNDED BY DEBRIS THOUGH NONE THE NW OR SE OF THE SWEPT AREA. A NOTICEABLE SWIRL DOWNSTREAM OF THE WK. NO SEARCH MADE BY SONAR. POSN 515320N, 013246E. SWEPT ON 22.5.69. (HMS ENTERPRISE, HI 1/69). H3510/51 21.1.72 H3510/51 21.1.72 ADD RA REFL TO BOTH LT BUOYS. (TH NM 103/71). BR STD. H3186/73 8.5.73 H3186/73 8.5.73 LIES IN 515321N, 013245E [OGB] USING HIFIX [2 LOP]. LEAST E/S DEPTH 3.9 IN GEN DEPTH 13.2MTRS. GOOD E/S & SONAR RETURNS. (HMS ENTERPRISE). AMEND TO SW 1FM 3FT (1FM 2FT). - NM 455/70. H3186/73 11.5.73 H3186/73 11.5.73 WRECKAGE EXTENDS ABOUT 100YDS. ESTIMATED HT 45 - 50FT. (HMS NURTON, 30.3.73). H4358/74 16.2.76 H4358/74 16.2.76 WK MARKED BY BUOYS. WRECKAGE AREA 160MTRS E/W & 60MTRS N/S. LEAST E/S DEPTH 3.7 IN GEN DEPTH 11 TO 13MTRS. SCOUR DEPTHS 13.8MTRS. (HMS ECHO, HI 12/75). NCA. H4726/77 16.3.79 H4726/77 16.3.79 LOCATED IN 515321N, 013245E [OGB] USING HIFIX [2 LOP]. LEAST E/S DEPTH 2.8MTRS IN GEN DEPTH 12-13MTRS. W. CARD,V QK FL (9) IOS, & E. CARD, V QK FL(3) 5S, BUOYS SHOWN ABOUT 1.5 CABLES W & E OF WKS. (HMS ENTERPRISE, ROS DTD 1.12.78). 25.9.81 25.9.81 SALVAGE AGREEMENT BETWEEN TH AND 'FORT MASSAC WK GROUP' TO COMMENCE SALVAGE OPS DURING NEXT 12MONTHS. (TH GAZETTE, SEPT '81). H1955/80 23.3.82 H1955/80 23.3.82 GROUP OF 3 WKS EXAM'D 27.10.81 IN 515320N, 013243E [OGB] USING HIFIX [2 LOP]. LEAST E/S DEPTH 2.4 IN GEN DEPTH 13-14MTRS. NO SCOUR. DCS3 HT 8MTRS. LENGTH 125MTRS, BREADTH 25MTRS, APPROX. LYING 090/270 DEGS. SW WK (EMPIRE BRIDGE?) LEAST E/S DEPTH 5.5MTRS. DCS3 HT 6MTRS. LENGTH 50MTRS, BREADTH 15MTRS APPROX. LYING 090/270 DEGS. N WK (CORCREST?) LEAST E/S DEPTH 11.4MTRS. DCS3 HT 2MTRS. LENGTH 70MTRS, BREADTH 15MTRS, APPROX. LYING 140/320 DEGS. (SOISS HI 25). NCA. RETAIN SWEPT DEPTH. 10.11.82 10.11.82 AMEND TO SW 2.5 MTRS, MARKED BY BUOYS. NC 1183. H2913/83 18.10.84 H2913/83 18.10.84 LOCATED 14.6.84. NOT FULLY SURVEYED. LEAST E/S DEPTH 4.3 IN GEN DEPTH 13 TO 14MTRS. DCS3 TRACES DISTORTED DUE TO STRONG EDDIES. (HMS ECHO, HI 192). NCA. H4024/86 17.2.88 H4024/86 17.2.88 EXAM'D 15.8.87 IN 515319N, 013241E [OGB] USING TRISPONDER [4 LOP]. SWEPT CLEAR AT 3.9, FOUL AT 4.1MTRS. LEAST E/S DEPTH 3.4MTRS [PROBABLY FLOATS] IN GEN DEPTH 13MTRS. SCOUR DEPTH 13.9MTRS. CONFIRMED AS 3 WKS, ALL INTACT AND NOT BROKEN UP. FLOATS WERE FOULED DURING SWEEP AND LESSER E/S DEPTHS THAN CLEARANCE DEPTH CONSIDERED TO BE FISH SHOALS. MAG ANOMALY INDICATES IRON CONTENT OF SOME 5700 TONNES. (NP 1016, HI 373). AMEND TO WKS SW 3.9MTRS IN REVISED POSN. - NM 768/88. H3933/88 19.9.89 H3933/88 19.9.89 LOCATED, NOT EXAM'D. (NP 1016, HI 455). NCA. HH242/470/01 16.11.89 HH242/470/01 16.11.89 FULL DETAILS OF BUOYS, INCLUDING HSA/HF POSITIONAL DATA. (TH - N.A.I.O.S., PP 230 & 231). HH090/494/01 24.8.90 HH090/494/01 24.8.90 EXAM'D 15.6.90 IN 515320N, 014240.5E [OGB] USING TRISPONDER [7 LOP]. SWEPT CLEAR AT 3.5, FOUL AT 3.6MTRS. LEAST E/S DEPTH 4.5 IN GEN DEPTH 13MTRS. NO SCOUR. NO CLEAR DCS3 SHADOW OBTAINED. LENGTH 75MTRS, BEAM 20MTRS. RELATIVELY INTACT, LYING 075/255 DEG IN SHALLOW SCOUR, WITH EMPIRE BRIDGE VERY CLOSE AND CORCREST 75MTRS TO WSW (?). V LARGE MAG. ANOMALY OBSERVED. (NP 1016, HI 494). BR STD. HH090/573/01 29.9.93 HH090/573/01 29.9.93 LOCATED 15.8.93 IN VICINITY OF CHARTED POSN. NOT EXAM'D. LEAST E/S DEPTH OBTAINED 6.1 IN GEN DEPTH 12 - 13MTRS. DCS3 HT 7.5MTRS. LARGE MAGNETIC ANOMALY. RETAIN AS CHARTED. (NP 1016, HI 573). HH091/215/01 25.2.08 HH091/215/01 & SEP 2008/000014587 25.2.08 EXAM'D 16.11.07 IN 5153.363N, 0132.605E [WGD] USING DGPS. LEAST M/B DEPTH 4.45 IN GEN DEPTH 13MTRS. NO SCOUR. LENGTH 113.0MTRS, WIDTH 17.39MTRS, HT 8.40MTRS. LIES 080/260 DEGS WITH BOWS E. INTACT WITH CLEAR SUPERSTRUCTURE MIDSHIPS. BOW AND STERN SECTIONS BOTH SHOW SIGNS OF DAMAGE. LARGE SEDIMENT BUILD UP TO THE SW. (HMSML GLEANER, HI 1215). AMEND SW 3.5MTRS TO SW 3.5MTRS 'WKS' IN REVISED POSN. BR STD. SEP 2023/000091490 04.05.23 WK NOT LOCATED IN M/B DATASET. NFS. (HHA SURVEY 2022). RETAIN DW SWEPT 3.5MTRS.
Last Amended Date Feb 29, 2008

Circumstances of loss

BUILT IN 1943 BY BURRARD DRY DOCK CO OTD, VANCOUVER. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY THE MINISTRY OF WAR TRANSPORT (J CORY & SONS LTD). TRIPLE EXPANSION ENGINE. MACHINERY BY CANADIAN ALLIS-CHALMERS LTD, MONTREAL. PASSAGE MIDDLESBROUGH FOR TABLE BAY. SANK FOLLOWING A COLLISION WITH SS THORNABY. (MSD & SIBI).

General Comments

INTACT, UPRIGHT, BOWS E, COVERS TWO OTHER WKS CLOSE BY

WRECK MAP LOADING ... 51 53.363 N,1 32.605 E
Fort Massac on Wreck Map Fort Massac Wreck on Google Map

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FAQ

Where is the FORT MASSAC wreck located?

The FORT MASSAC wreck is located at coordinates 51 53.363 N,1 32.605 E.

How deep is the FORT MASSAC and where exactly is it located?

The FORT MASSAC lies at a depth of about 3.5 meters and is located at coordinates 51 53.363 N,1 32.605 E.

How deep is the seabed around the FORT MASSAC?

The seabed around the FORT MASSAC lies at approximately 13 meters deep.

When did the FORT MASSAC sink?

The FORT MASSAC sank on Feb 1, 1946.

When was the wreck of the FORT MASSAC discovered?

The wreck of the FORT MASSAC was discovered in 1946.

What country did the FORT MASSAC belong to?

The FORT MASSAC belonged to GB.

What cargo was the FORT MASSAC carrying?

The FORT MASSAC was carrying general and mixed goods.

What was the tonnage of the FORT MASSAC?

The FORT MASSAC had a tonnage of 7157 tons.

What type of wreck is the FORT MASSAC?

The FORT MASSAC is classified as a steam ship.

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