The steel motor vessel Zephyr was launched from the Westerbroek yard of Van der Wef Scheepsbouw (Yard No 255) in 1948. She measured 167.3′ x 27.1′ x 8.8′ and her tonnage was 491 gross tons, 211 net tons. She was powered by a 2S CSA diesel engine by MV Maschinfab Bolnes. Ordered by O/Y Suomi Shipping AB, Helsingfors, Finland her name was changed to Angela in 1950. She mainly operated on the Baltic and North Sea.
Lloyds register 1953
MV ANGELA. Bengt Pettersson.
On 9th April 1953 Angela, under the command of Captain Niska, was en route for Goole, Humberside from Larne, in ballast, when she was caught in a storm off the south east coast of Coll. The empty ship was riding high in the water making her very difficult to steer in the heavy seas. The strong winds pushed her closer and closer to the coast of Coll and she eventually went aground between Friesland Rock and Crossipoll Bay around 3:50am on the morning of the 10th.
The crew immediately launched the ship’s boat but found that they were too close to shore to use it as it plunged and heaved in the surging swell. The ship’s first mate, a man named Von Gertden, volunteered to try for the shore. He jumped from the ship with a rope tied round his waist and managed to scramble ashore through the heavy surf as his anxious crewmates looked on. Then, one by one, the crew members pulled themselves to the shore arriving exhausted, but alive, to thank the brave Von Gertden.
Sunday Post 12th April
At first there was some hope that the Angela could survive as the storm passed leaving her lying with a 43 degree list and with forward hold and engine room awash, but otherwise in tact. The captain, second mate and the engineer returned to their ship to await the arrival of the Metal Industries salvage tug Salveda, securing their ship to the shore with six metal hawsers. When she reached Coll the Salveda stood by waiting for many days for a chance to get her off. It is not known if any such attempt was made but the next report in Lloyds is dated April 30th and states that she was breaking up and had been abandoned as a total wreck. It can be assumed that the wreck, lying in shallow water was heavily salvaged at a later date.
The remaining wreckage, presumed to be the of the Angela, lies scattered among the rocks and gullies and in the shallow water near the shore on the headland just east of Loch Gorten in approximate position 56° 34.966′ N, 006°35.935′ W. She is easy to locate as large pieces of wreckage are scattered, high and dry, among the rocks and are clearly visible from the sea. The underwater wreckage is concentrated in one gully, amid boulders and kelp in depths of 2 – 8 metres. There is nothing significant of interest as only girders and some rusted plating have survived the efforts of the salvors. The site is sheltered, except from the east, and is not subject to any tidal flow.
Wreckage location
