RMS Rhone

RMS Rhone was a British packet ship owned by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. She was wrecked off the coast of Salt Island in the British Virgin Islands during a hurricane in October 1867, resulting in the loss of approximately 123 lives.

History

The RMS Rhone was built by the Millwall Iron Works in London, England in 1865. She was designed to carry both passengers and cargo between England and the Caribbean. The ship was 310 feet long and had a beam of 40 feet. She was powered by a single screw propeller driven by a compound steam engine, which gave her a top speed of 14 knots.

On her final voyage, the Rhone was carrying a general cargo and a large number of passengers. She was caught in a severe hurricane while attempting to find shelter near Salt Island. The ship was driven onto rocks and broke in two, sinking rapidly. Only a handful of the crew and passengers survived.

Wreck

The wreck of the RMS Rhone is now a popular site for scuba diving. It lies in 20 to 80 feet of water and is home to a wide variety of marine life. The site is protected as part of the RMS Rhone Marine Park.

In popular culture

The RMS Rhone has been featured in several films and documentaries, most notably the 1977 film The Deep, which used footage of the wreck.

See also

• List of shipwrecks
• Maritime archaeology
• Underwater diving