SS Monte Cervantes
SS Monte Cervantes circa 1928
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| History | |
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 Germany
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| Name: | Monte Cervantes |
| Owner: | Hamburg South American Line, now Hamburg Sud |
| Port of registry: | Hamburg |
| Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Christened: | 25 August 1927 |
| Maiden voyage: | 3 January 1928 |
| Fate: | Sank 23 January 1930 near Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Monte class ocean liner |
| Tonnage: | 13.913 |
| Displacement: | 20,000 tons |
| Length: | 152.50 m (500 ft 4 in) |
| Beam: | 20.00 m (65 ft 7 in) |
| Draft: | 11.50 m (37 ft 9 in) |
| Installed power: | 6,800 HP |
| Propulsion: | Twin screws |
| Sail plan: | Regular transatlantic passenger service |
| Speed: | 14.5 kn (26.85 km/h) |
| Capacity: |
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| Crew: | 325 |
SS Monte Cervantes was a 500 ft (150 m) German passenger liner that cruised the South American route from Buenos Aires to Puerto Madryn (Chubut) to Punta Arenas to Ushuaia and return to Buenos Aires. The ship sailed under German registration and belonged to the South American Hamburg Company. After only two years of service she sank at the beginning of 1930 near Tierra del Fuego. The ship became known as "The Titanic of the South."
On 22 January 1930, Monte Cervantes departed Ushuaia and within 30 minutes struck some submerged rocks in the Pan de Indio. The ship could not be dislodged and began to sink. The lifeboats were lowered and 1,200 passengers and 350 crew were removed from the ship. Monte Cervantes sank 24 hours later, and while all the passengers and crew were able to leave the ship before she sank, her captain was killed. The remainder of the crew and all of the passengers were saved.
Monte Cervantes was christened on 25 August 1927 by builders Blohm + Voss as the third ship of the Monte class. Four months later, on 3 January 1928, the ship was placed into service under the Hamburg South American Steam Ship Company KG (HSDG), home-ported at Hamburg, Germany. The ship was scheduled to operate regularly between Hamburg and the South American capitals of Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. Soon the routes of the ship were expanded to include entertainment trips to both continents. For this the maximum passenger capacity was reduced from 2,492 places to about 1,750 places to increase the luxury aspects of the journey. The ship possessed 30 life boats and was modernly furnished for its time. The passengers had access to a large, convenient promenade deck, two roomy dining rooms, a large smoking salon, a comfortable theatre, a post office, and a library. In the price groups IA to V the cabins had running water, while travellers of the price group VI and those of the sleeping halls enjoyed well-lighted, white-tiled men's and women's bathrooms. Additionally the ship had a beauty salon for ladies and a barber shop for the gentlemen.
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