SS Oronsa (1906)

For other ships with the same name, see SS Oronsa.

History
Name	Oronsa
Owner	Pacific Steam Navigation Company
Port of registry	Liverpool, United Kingdom
Builder	Harland & Wolff
Yard number	377
Launched	26 May 1906
Completed	16 August 1906
Acquired	16 August 1906
Maiden voyage	13 September 1906
In service	13 September 1906
Out of service	28 April 1918
Identification	Official number: 123986 Call sign: HGTK
Fate	Torpedoed and sunk on 28 April 1918
General characteristics
Type	Passenger ship
Tonnage	8,075 GRT
Length	141.8 metres (465 ft 3 in)
Beam	17.2 metres (56 ft 5 in)
Depth	10.9 metres (35 ft 9 in)
Decks	3
Installed power	Two 8 Cyl. Quadruple expansion engine
Propulsion	Two screws
Speed	15.5 knots
Capacity	Accommodation for 1,080 passengers (150 in First class, 130 in Second class & 800 in Steerage)
Notes	Two masts and a single funnel

SS Oronsa was a British Passenger ship that was torpedoed by the German submarine U-91 and sank with the loss of three lives on 28 April 1918 in St. George's Channel 12 nautical miles (22 km) west of Bardsey Island, while she was travelling from Talcahuano, Chile to Liverpool, United Kingdom via New York, United States while carrying general cargo.^[1]

Construction

Oronsa was built as the sistership of Ortega at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, United Kingdom and was launched on 26 May 1906 and completed on 16 August 1906. The ship was 141.8 metres (465 ft 3 in) long, had a beam of 17.2 metres (56 ft 5 in) and a depth of 10.9 metres (35 ft 9 in). She was assessed at 8,075 GRT and had two 8 Cyl. Quadruple expansion engine driving two screw propellers that could achieve a speed of 15.5 knots. The ship had accommodation for 1,080 passengers including 150 in First class, 130 in Second class & 800 in Steerage.^[2][3]

Career & Loss

Oronsa entered service on 13 September 1906 for the Liverpool to Pernambuco, Montevideo and Valparaíso route for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company. She remained in service during World War I and was returning to Liverpool from New York as part of a convoy of 13 ships under the command of Captain Frederick Holt Hobson, when on the night of 28 April 1918, Oronsa was struck by a torpedo from the German submarine U-91 in St. George's Channel 12 nautical miles (22 km) west of Bardsey Island. The torpedo struck Oronsa on her starboard side between cargo holds No. 3 and No. 4. and sank the ship in 10 minutes as her boilers exploded, killing three crewmen.^[4]

Wreck

Oronsa lies in 90 metres (295 ft 3 in) of water and a possible sonar scan of the wreck was made in 2021, but the wreck's identity has yet to be verified.

References

1. "Oronsa". uboat.net. 1995. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
2. "SS Oronsa (+1918)". wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
3. "Oronsa". theyard.info. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
4. "THE V.M.C.A. STEAMER". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 28 April 2026.