SANKO HARVEST 1985–1991
Sanko Harvest aground on the reef now named Harvest Reef. Photo: Esperance Diving and Fishing
Description
Bulk carrier
Construction
Steel
Size
Length: 167.60 m Breadth: 27.00 m Tonnage: 33,024.00 DWT Draft: 14.80 m
Built
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd
Owner
Sanko Shipping Line of Japan (Eastern Shipping Co. Ltd, Tokyo, managing agent)
Sunk
14 February 1991
Location
On a reef now called Harvest Reef, near Hood Island, Recherche Archipelago, 33 km south-east of Esperance
Latitude/Longitude
(-34.1239666667, 122.08105)
Sinking
The Sanko Harvest was travelling from Florida to Esperance with a cargo of phosphate when it hit a charted reef. The ATSB investigation found the master and second officer to be at fault for taking the ship into an area where hydrographic surveys were incomplete, and for failure to correct the ship’s charts of the area, in particular a notice that described the location of the reef. Initially it was thought that the ship was salvagable, but after 24 hours of damage against the reef, it was beyond salvage. It broke up over the next two weeks.
Underwater
The wreck is in three sections (2019). It sits in 40 metres of water; the highest point is 13 metres below the surface. There are many fish species living on the wreck, as well as kelp, sponges, corals, sea tulips and sea stars.
Gallery
