The 'Sota Eduardo'

 

The 'Sota Eduardo' was built in 1974 by the shipyard, Astilleros Y Talleres Celaya in Bilbao  for the Sota Line, which was based in the Basque Region in northern Spain.

She was one of two small sister coastal cargo vessels, the other being named the 'Sota Alejandro'. They both traded to Wicklow Port on a regular basis from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s with cargoes of chipboard and other building materials from Bilbao and possibly, Marin. Their cargo capacity was just over 1000 tons, which made them the smallest vessels owned by this company.

On 15th July 1985, distress calls from the 'Sota Eduardo' were received by emergency services  as the vessel had got into serious difficulties north-east of the Humber while on passage from the Spanish port of Marin to Scarborough in Yorkshire with a cargo of chipboard.

Rescue helicopters from R.A.F. Boulemar and R.A.F. Leconfield were immediately dispatched to the scene, as were the R.N.L.I. lifeboats from the Humber and Flamborough. The cargo vessel, the 'Lader', which was in the vicinity, managed to rescue 9 of the 11 crew. The remaining 2 seamen, who had been in the water for some time, were rescued by the R.A.F. helicopters and all were transferred to hospital in Hull, where they made a good recovery and returned home safely to Spain.

Meanwhile the 'Sota Eduardo' had listed heavily and turned turtle. While in a capsized state and still drifting, a tug arrived on the scene,to attempt a salvage operation, but this ended in failure as the vessel eventually sank several days later, and still remains as a wreck off that coastline.

As a ship enthusiast, I had become very fond of these small stylish Spanish vessels, and decided to paint the 'Sota Eduardo', on the East Pier wall, possibly in 1986, after I had heard the sad news of her loss. This addition resulted in the unusual presence of two Spanish ships of the same company painted on the East Pier - the 'Sota Eduardo' next to her larger relation, the 'Sota Arritokieta'.

She is sill with us!