The steel motor vessel Corvus was launched from the Gothenburg yard of Eriksbergs MV (Yard No 356) on 25th November 1946. She measured 263.7′ x 40.2′ x 16.7′ and her tonnage as 1333 gross tons, 702 net tons. She was powered by a 5 cylinder 2SA diesel engine by Ericksbergs delivering 1160 brake horse power.
Built for the Bergenske Dampskibsselskab she operated for this company registered in Bergen until she was sold to the Kanav Shipping Company SA, Cyprus and registered in Piraeus in 1968. Her name was changed to Manina.
MV Corvus under way
In the early hours of the morning of 8th April 1968 the Manina was en route from Bergen to Italy via Glasgow in ballast under the command of Captain Victor Kapsokefalos with a crew of thirteen men aboard. As they passed through the Pentland Firth the weather deteriorated and soon the ship was driving her way into a westerly gale. The exact reason for the stranding is unclear as, despite the weather, the visibility was good but, with most of the crew in their bunks, she ran hard aground on Stack Skerry, a rocky outcrop five miles south west of Sule Skerry off the Scottish north west coast. Water rushed in through a gash in the hull and quickly began to fill her forward hold. The crew rushed to abandon ship but, within a short period, she keeled over and began to break up. Many of the crew were thrown into the cold stormy sea and struggled to reach the rocks while others were able to quickly launch an inflatable raft and scramble aboard. The radio operator managed to send out distress messages which were picked up by Wick Radio who issued a general distress call to all shipping in the area and called out the Stromness lifeboat. Two ore carriers, Vassijaure and Afghanistan, responded to the call and set course to the area and the Stromness lifeboat was quickly launched also heading to the scene of the wreck. The Vassijaure picked up 5 survivors from a raft and recovered five bodies in the area and took them to Stornoway. The Stromness lifeboat also picked up two further bodies. For the rest of the day the Kirkwall lifeboat Grace Paterson Ritchie, which arrived to join the rescue effort, and an RAF Shackleton searched for the remaining two men before the search was abandoned as darkness fell.
Manina steering stand. Stromness Museum
The wreck of the Manina lies in position 59° 01.356’N, 004° 30.334’W scattered down a steep rocky slope on the SE side of the stack, with the deepest wreckage at 44 metres and the shallowest in around 12 metres. There are many recognisable items visible among the kelp covered rocks including the propeller, prop shaft, rudder and various elements of the engine and fittings. The site is extremely exposed and diveable only in the calmest weather.
Scotsman 27 May-extract
