Santa Maria
Overview
The American tanker Santa Maria was torpedoed by the German submarine U-19 off Fair Head on 25 February 1918 while carrying two million gallons of fuel oil to the Clyde. All crew were rescued.
The vessel and voyage
The ship was built at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1902 as Minnetonka and converted into the tanker Santa Maria in 1906. Owned by the Sun Company of Philadelphia, the 5,318-ton vessel was carrying two million gallons of fuel oil towards the Clyde under master John V. Olson.
How it was lost
After becoming separated from its convoy, Santa Maria was torpedoed by the German submarine U-19 on 25 February 1918 and sank off Fair Head. The same submarine sank Tiberia the following day.
Deaths and survival
All of Santa Maria's crew were rescued. No deaths are recorded in the matched wreck account.
What remains
The tanker lies on its starboard side and is broken into two large sections. One rests on a ledge near 60 metres and the other at the foot of an underwater cliff around 72 metres. A builder's brass plate recovered in the 1980s helped confirm the identity.
Why it mattered
The huge fuel cargo was meant to support Britain's war effort, making the tanker a valuable submarine target. The wreck also remains dangerous: great depth, cliffs, current and very short still-water periods have caused diving accidents.
History checked 2026-08-15 against the named sources below.
A wreck point does not grant permission to dive, disturb the site or recover anything. Check current law and local conditions first.