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quote: The would probably have laid there until she would have been sold for scrap, but in 1983, during the Iraq/Iran war, Iraqi bombers hit her and she partially sank in the harbour waters. Not long after a tug accidentally rammed her, finishing off the job the Iraqi had begun. The Raffaello lays on the spot where she sank, and no breaking up of the shipwreck has ever commerced.
[ 03-23-2004: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]
"Biggest passenger liner currently on the seabed is the Raffaello (904.6 X 101.9 X 36.2) which, after being bombed by Iraq and half burned out was allowed to sink 17 miles off the Iranian coast in about 120 feet of water. A while back an Iranian tanker grounded on the wreck and was damaged at which point she (Raffaello) was offered for sale as scrap, but at the time there were no takers."
Russ
[ 04-02-2004: Message edited by: linerguy ]
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quote:May 1970 Raffaello was once again involved in an accident when she accidentally collided with the Norwegian tanker Cuyahoga in Algeciras Bay, on the southern coast of Spain. Luckily there were no casualties, but Raffaello's crossing was canceled and her bow needed to be repaired at Gibraltar. After ship accident she suffered no more major accident during her career.During the same year the Raffaello made naval history for the only time in her life. Even though the Royal Carribeean lines claims that their Voyager Of The Seas was the first ship to have an on-board ice rink, this is not true. In 1970 the Raffaello's theatre was converted into an ice rink, and an American family was contracted to perform ice skating shows to the passengers.
quote:Originally posted by sslewis:Wow!I am greatful to learn this most interesting Ice-ring story onboard Raf!The Shah of Iran widow, Farah Dibba, is most admired in France, where she was addressed as Iran's Empress in a recent interview.So far, few pictures of the ships in Iran were published, and they were Ship of the State to the end!
So far, few pictures of the ships in Iran were published, and they were Ship of the State to the end!
I seem to remember, but can't find it back, that many years ago, ships monthly published a picture of the burned-out wreck of one of the sisters.
About being there no pictures : the end of the seventies was a rather "disturbing" time in the Shah's Iran. As they were barracks for army/navy officers, they will have been considered as "secret", so not much pictures I imagine.
After the revolution, they were maligned symbols of the Shahs's "wicked ways of the west", and certainly not beloved or of interested to both people in power, the army or other iranians.
Beautiful ships, but built too late, and not in tune with their times, alas...
J
quote:Originally posted by sslewis:I hear on another forum that wahtever is left of the wreck is still visible from Google Earth!I had a go at it but can't send a link....anybody?Iran used to have 40 cruise ships a year and is seeking a slow return on the tourism maps....
What appears to be a wreck of a large ship is off the coast of Bushehr, Iran. The wreck is located at 29 00' 02.6 75N 50 50' 45. 14 E . It may or may not be Raffaello as it seems to be smaller than a 900 ft vessel according to some posts. Also w/comparisons to ships such as the SS United States (also very clearly seen on Google Earth and docked in Philadelphia) the submerged hull in Iran looks much smaller. I also looked up the SS Independence and she was still docked in Vallejo, California when the Google pics were taken. The 683' Indy looks larger than the submerged hull as well.
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