SHIPS HIT BRAZIL 33 - BRAZILIAN SHIPS LOST
33)TUTOIA U-66
Tutoia seen as ex British Mitcham. Photo. www.photoship.co.uk
Built: 1913
Tonnage: 1,125 tons
Cargo: 750 tons of general cargo, including coffee, lumber, tea, potatoes and salted meat.
Route. Paranagua - Santos
Sunk 30 JUN 43 by U-66 on pos. 24º 43" S 47º19º30"W
7 Dead
30 Survivors
Tutoia departed Paranagua bound for Santos on June 30th under Master Acacio Faria, when abeam of Iguape, state of Sao Paulo, some crewmembers sighted one or two vessels approaching. Some minutes elapsed, when one of the boats beamed the merchant in morse code requesting to light up the bow mast beam. 20 minutes later, the merchant was hit by one torpedo amidships throwing a sheet of flames and debris in the air. The ship listed badly to port and began sinking bow first. It was 10:25PM, and her position was 24º 43’ S 47º 19’ 30’’W. Merchant Tutoia was at 6 mile off the coast. The submarine which had a green hull, circled the ship and survivors very closely after the sinking.
When master Acacio gave the order to abandon ship, the crewmembers in spite of the darkness, made a strenuous effort to find out any available lifeboats and rafts. They managed to lower 2 lifeboats and one raft. They boarded in and rowed to nearest land and made ashore at the beach of Jureia, with 17 survivors and were shadowed during some time for the submarine. Another boat with 6 survivors, was spotted by one Brazilian patrol plane from Santos airbase. The third one, with 7 survivors was sighted and later towed by one motorboat from Port authority at Santos. 30 out of 37 crewmembers managed to survive. The master and his first mate are among those seven which perished in the tragedy.
The steel schooner Tutoia Ex Mitcham was built 1913 by W. Dobson & Co. Newcastle and first owned by Wandsworth, Wimbledon & Epson District Gas Co.
