| Career | |
|---|---|
| Owner: | Holland Afrika Line |
| Operator: | Vereenigde Nederlandsche Scheepv Mij. |
| Builder: | Smit P Jr., Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Yard number: | 517 |
| Launched: | March 4, 1939 |
| Acquired: | July 29, 1939 |
| Fate: | 1953 sunk - Off Ponta Zavora (East Africa) struck sunken German U-boat. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Cargo / Passenger Liner |
| Tonnage: | 10,544 gt |
| Length: | 527 ft 2 in (160,69 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 x 5 cyl diesel 12000 pk B&W 2 screw |
| Capacity: | 9933 tn Cargo 148 two class passengers |
The Klipfontein was a Dutch ocean liner built in the mid 20th century.
On 8 January 1953 the ocean liner Klipfontein struck a foreign object off the coast of Mozambique in uncharted waters. She sunk in three hours time. All were saved by the ocean liner Bloemfontein Castle under the command of Captain J.H.F. Ferguson.
Around 11.18 GMT, the Klipfontein struck an object below the waterline near Zavora Point and started sinking. Captain Oosterhuis radioed for help which was received at Beira station and by the nearby Bloemfontein Castle. The ship sank at 14:22 GMT, and six lifeboats were deployed. All 234 passengers were saved and safely aboard the Bloemfontein Castle at 15:45 GMT.
Newspapers from the time state that with the navigational equipment on board it is not likely that a reef was the 'object'. The region has a couple of sunken ships from the war. According to reports, only one German U-boat was torpedoed in shallow waters but was never charted.
The cargo was 1000 tons of copper and manganese ore and 100 bales of wool.
Some headlines in various newspapers of the time: