Passenger liner · 1898–1898 · Cornwall, United Kingdom

SS Mohegan

Also known as Mohegan.

SS Mohegan, a British passenger liner grounded in 1898, lies at 16–26 metres off Cornwall, United Kingdom.

She was barely six months old when she ploughed onto Vase Rock in October 1898, killing 106 passengers and crew on what should have been a routine Atlantic crossing. No one has ever convincingly explained why the ship was so far off course.

Today her boilers rise from 22 metres as the centrepiece of a richly colonised underwater landscape, while the skeletal hull frames create a striking grid that draws photographers from across the UK.

Type
Passenger linerBritish
Year built
1898Earle's Shipbuilding, Hull
Lost
October 14th, 1898Grounding
Casualties
106
Tonnage
6,889 GRTsteam
Length
145 m16 m beam
Depth
16–26 m
Location
Cornwall, United KingdomEnglish Channel

6 of 8 facts above are cited in Sources below.

Deeper than 74 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.

  • Lives lost: 106 (most-cited figure); range in sources 100–107. Other published figures exist (why sources disagree).
  • Depth: 26 m shown; range in sources 22–26 m. Other published figures exist (why sources disagree).

History and LossLost October 14th, 1898 · Grounding · Cornwall, United Kingdom.

Ran onto the Manacles reef (Vase Rock / Maen Voes) while en route Tilbury to New York. The Atlantic Transport Line vessel deviated inexplicably from her course. Of 161 aboard, only 55 survived. The cause of the fatal course change was never satisfactorily explained at the subsequent inquiry.

Built 1898 by Earle's Shipbuilding, Hull; 0 years in service, also recorded as Mohegan. Lost October 14th, 1898, grounding.

106lives lost on October 14th, 1898.

Condition of the WreckBroken, in 16–26 m.

Intactness

Well broken up, extensively salvaged. Large boilers prominent at ~22m. Hull frames form a photogenic grid pattern. Heavily colonised by anemones, hydroids, and diverse marine life.

Notable Features

  • Photogenic boiler array at 22m
  • Hull frame grid pattern
  • Rich anemone and hydroid colonisation

Additional Details12 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.

Nationality
British
Flag
United Kingdom
Builder
Earle's Shipbuilding, Hull
Propulsion
Steam
Loss date
October 14th, 1898
Latitude
50.05° N
Longitude
5.04° W
Water body
English Channel
War grave
No
Protected
No
Permit required
No
Condition
Broken

Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.

Background reading is listed for context and is not counted as a citation for the facts above.

  • Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.

A further 3 fields were derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.

Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the SS Mohegan?

SS Mohegan is the wreck of a passenger liner, off Cornwall, United Kingdom, at 26 metres. SS Mohegan ran aground and was wrecked in 1898.

How deep is the SS Mohegan?

SS Mohegan lies at 16 to 26 metres, Manacles reef, off Porthkerris and Coverack, Lizard Peninsula.

How did the SS Mohegan sink?

SS Mohegan ran aground and was wrecked on October 14th, 1898, off Cornwall, United Kingdom. 106 people lost their lives.