GUMERSINDO JUNQUERA
- Name: Gumersindo Junquera
- Type of vessel: merchant steamship
- Flag: Spain
- Date of sinking: 20 May 1935
- Cause: grounding
- Location: O Farelo shallows, next to Cape Touriñan (Muxía). Still to be located
- Diving level: –
- GALP territory: Costa da Morte (Coast of Death)
HISTORY
O Farelo, the rock that split the 5,000-ton titan in two
O Farelo is an isolated rock located in front of Cape Touriñán (Muxía), which is the westernmost point of the entire coast of Galicia and Spain. This dangerous shallow enters the sea and sits, like a mine, ready to sink any ship passing through the area.
In broad daylight and in good weather, the freighter Gumersindo Junquera collided with O Farelo destroying the bow and keel. A large leak opened up and quickly flooded cellar number 1. Its 27 crew members were saved thanks to the intervention of the ship El Salvamento, sent from Ferrol.
The tug Argos also approached the wreck, but could do nothing because the Gumersindo Junquera was already almost completely submerged. The wreck was stranded in the shallows with only the bow remaining above the water for some time.
Its 5,000 tons of coal, which were travelling from Newcastle to El Musel, as the port of Gijón is known, and on to Valencia, sank in the early hours of the following day when the ship broke in two with no loss of life.
Intended for sailing on the high seas, the Gumersindo Junquera had two boilers and an extensive service record. Built in 1896 at the Swan & Hunter shipyard, Wallsend (UK), before taking the name of its current owner, Gumersindo Junquera Blanco (Gijón, Asturias), it had carried other names and flags. Neptune (United Kingdom) from 1896, Adolfo from 1913 or Motrico from 1918. Its registration year was 1929 with the series P.A.: N43 03.206, W9 18.686.
GALLERY
