Sinking of the SS Tanais, Maritime disaster site near Heraklion, Greece
The SS Tanais was a Greek cargo ship that now rests on the seabed in the Aegean Sea, northwest of Crete. It was requisitioned by German occupying forces and used as a military transport vessel during the war.
In June 1944, the ship was torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Vivid and sank off the coast of Crete. Before being hit, it had been used to transport deportees from Crete, most of whom died in the sinking.
In June 1944, the ship carried hundreds of deportees, including Jewish residents of Crete, who were being sent to extermination camps. The loss of the vessel and everyone on board is remembered as one of the most painful moments in the history of Cretan Jewish communities.
The site lies in open sea and can only be reached by a diving or research boat. Anyone planning a visit should work closely with professionals who know the local sea conditions well.
The ship went down in seconds after being hit, giving almost no one on board time to escape. Among those who died were nearly all the Jewish residents of Crete who had been deported by the German occupiers.
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