The wreckage of Diana, Illustrated London News, 1856. |
|
| Career (Russian Empire) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Diana |
| Launched: | 1853 |
| Fate: | Sank in December 1854 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Frigate |
Diana was a frigate of the Imperial Russian Navy. She was built in 1853, and was the flagship of the Russian explorer Yevfimy Putyatin when he visited Japan in 1854.[1]
Putyatin's fleet was damaged in a tsunami, following the powerful Ansei-Tōkai earthquake of 23 December 1854. The Diana sank while sailing from Shimoda to Heda for repairs.[1] She sank in the bay of Miyajima-mura (宮島村) (modern Fuji-shi, 富士市).
Three hundred Japanese carpenters worked with the Russian sailors to build a Western-style ship in two months, with the help of plans salvaged from the Diana. They eventually built a two-masted schooner, named Heda, displacing 100 tons, with a length of 24 meters.[1] The ship was named in honour of the Japanese city that helped with its construction.[1]