The Sardinia tragedy

Abstract

Maltese postcard publishers turned one of the worst accidents in local maritime history into an attractive business opportunity. Many lost their lives, horribly scorched or suffocated to death, but there was money to be made on the side. Cards of the S.S. Sardina disaster were plentiful, and still turn up regularly at postal auctions and dealers. I have counted more than a dozen, all printed by the photographic process. The S .S. Sardinia, formerly the S. S. Gulf of Matapan, a small 1514 ton passenger and cargo steamer of the Ellerman & Papyanni line, was a regular, if unobtrusive, visitor to Grand Harbour. On November 25, 1908, when the ship was leaving port at 9.30 a.m. bound for Alexandria people at the Baracca noticed smoke coming out of the ventilator over No 2 hold, in front of the bridge. This was the beginning of a saga that ended with so many dead. [excerpt]