Grantor left Penarth on 19 March 1897 on a voyage from Cardiff for Santos in Brazil with a cargo of 3,200 tons of coal & a crew of 23 which included the master & two officers. She reached Las Palmas on 27 March where she took on about 100 tons of bunker coal & then left the same day. At 4pm on 31 March as they were nearing the Cape Verde Islands where there were dangerous currents the master ordered the 2nd officer to change course so as to take them about 10 miles clear of Boavista. The master left the deck & returned at just before 8pm when Boavista was visible with glasses but because a sand haze obscured all but its peaks it was thought to be about nine miles away but in fact it was only five. Before anything could be done the vessel struck on the Hartwell Reef & within minutes it was evident the vessel would have to be abandoned. Two boats were lowered with the master & 10 men in one & the chief officer & the rest of the crew in the other. The second boat eventually reached land safely but the master’s boat was caught by a heavy sea & upended with everyone thrown out. When the master surfaced he got on the keel assisted by the steward & the 2nd engineer but they were all washed off again & lost the boat. They all wore lifebelts & the 3rd engineer had an oar but he became exhausted & drowned. An Arab fireman & a boy also drowned. The rest managed to swim to some of the outlying reefs & were picked up on 1 April by a boat. At the inquiry the casualty was not attributed to the wrongful act or default of any of the officers or crew. Three lives lost
Lives lost March 1897: Mahoommed, Bahul, a boy.
Survivors March 1897: Balliene, 2nd officer; Carnegie, chief officer; Tyropoulos, Telemak, boatswain.
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Grantor - inquiry
