Empress Of Ireland Wreck Image

Empress Of Ireland Wreck

Field Value
Wreck Category non-dangerous wreck
Empress of ireland Wreck Location
Marine Coordinates (DMM) 		48 37.25 N,68 24.22 W
Latitude, Longitude
Decimal Degrees
  • Latitude: 48.620833
  • Longitude: -68.403667
Water Depth 22 m
Water Level Effect always under water/submerged
Vertical Datum Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name EMPRESS OF IRELAND
Type liner
Flag GB
Length 167.3 m
Width 19.8 m
Draught 11
Tonnage 14191
Tonnage Type gross
Conspic Visual not visually conspicuous
Conspic Radar not radar conspicuous
Date Sunk May 29, 1914
Original Detection Year 1914
Last Detection Year 1923
Original Source national HO/authority notice to mariners
Last Amended Date Apr 2, 1985

Surveying Details

H3366/14 7.7.14 H3366/14 7.7.14 DW IN 483715N, 682230W, OR 3.5M N OF COCK PT LT, MARKED BY G BUOY CLOSE NE. (OTTAWA NM 183/14). INS AS DW WITH BUOY. - NM 1118/14. H3604/15 29.7.15 H3604/15 29.7.15 BUOY HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN. (OTTOWA NM 357/14). DELETE BUOY. - NM 710/15. H3439/23 7.7.23 H3439/23 7.7.23 NOW CHARTED AS NDW. (AUTHORITY NOT STATED). 8.3.85 8.3.85 [NAS] POSN: 483715N, 682415W. NE 307.

Circumstances of loss

BUILT IN 1906. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY CANDIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY CO. SANK IN 15 MINUTES FOLLOWING A COLLISION IN DENSE FOG WITH NORWEGIAN SS STORSTADT WITH LARGE LOSS OF LIFE. (DODS).

WRECK MAP LOADING ... 48 37.25 N,68 24.22 W
Empress Of Ireland on Wreck Map Empress Of Ireland Wreck on Google Map

The RMS Empress of Ireland wreck is a National Historic Site of Canada located near Pointe-au-Père (Rimouski), Quebec, on the floor of the St. Lawrence River. The ship was built between 1905 and 1906 and was officially designated a historic site on April 20, 2009.

The ship was operated by Canadian Pacific Steamship Lines and was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering in Govan, Glasgow. Designed by Dr. Francis Elgar, it could carry 1,580 passengers in three classes while also transporting Royal Mail between Canada and the United Kingdom.

The Empress of Ireland sank on May 29, 1914, after colliding with the Norwegian cargo ship SS Storstad. The ship sank in just 14 minutes, and 1,012 of the 1,477 people on board lost their lives. This remains the deadliest maritime disaster in Canadian history.

The wreck lies 8.3 km offshore, resting on its starboard (right) side at a 65° angle. It is one of the best-preserved early 20th-century ocean liners in Canada and the only surviving Canadian Pacific Railway ocean liner from before the First World War.

The ship is historically significant because it carried about 117,000 immigrants to Canada between 1906 and 1914. Today, around one million Canadians can trace part of their family history to immigrants who travelled on the Empress of Ireland, making the wreck an important symbol of Canada's immigration history.

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FAQ

Where is the EMPRESS OF IRELAND wreck located?

The EMPRESS OF IRELAND wreck is located at coordinates 48 37.25 N,68 24.22 W.

How deep is the seabed around the EMPRESS OF IRELAND?

The seabed around the EMPRESS OF IRELAND lies at approximately 22 meters deep.

When did the EMPRESS OF IRELAND sink?

The EMPRESS OF IRELAND sank on May 29, 1914.

When was the wreck of the EMPRESS OF IRELAND discovered?

The wreck of the EMPRESS OF IRELAND was discovered in 1914.

What country did the EMPRESS OF IRELAND belong to?

The EMPRESS OF IRELAND belonged to GB.

What was the tonnage of the EMPRESS OF IRELAND?

The EMPRESS OF IRELAND had a tonnage of 14191 tons.

What type of wreck is the EMPRESS OF IRELAND?

The EMPRESS OF IRELAND is classified as a liner.

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