The Ovington Court shipwreck at Addington Beach
On the 25th of November 1940 a ship carrying a cargo of sugar worth £22,000 (roughly R500k) from Mauritius, called The Ovington Court, waited patiently to gain entry into Durban’s busy harbour.
That evening the sea was extremely rough and the anchor started to drag, causing the ship to move closer to the beach. The crew of 38 knew that they were in trouble and attempted to steam their way out of danger, but lost pressure when a huge wave struck the Ovington Court and cascaded into the engine room, putting out the boiler fires. The captain radioed an SOS signal which was received by the Jacobs Naval Station at 8.11pm, but by the time the port office sent help, it was already too late – the ship stranded on Addington Beach.
The rescue operation started immediately, bystanders moved their cars onto the beach to use the headlights to help illuminate the scene. So many people arrived at the beach that soldiers and sailors had trouble keeping them from hindering the rescue operation. Ropes were shot from the beach to the ship via rockets so the crew could attempt to prevent the ship from breaking due to the heavy surf.
Eventually the call was made by Captain George Linsell to abandon ship in the two available lifeboats. Crowds cheered when the first lifeboat reached the water safely and started making its way to the shore, but then tragedy struck. The second lifeboat capsized soon after being launched from the ship, throwing 12 occupants into the cold dark water. The lifesavers and members of the public immediately took to the sea with lifelines in attempt to find and rescue the victims. They managed to bring all 12 to shore but tragically 4 of the victims passed away, among them the young cabin boy Gordon Hunter, aged 15.
Eight men couldn’t get on the lifeboat and had to stay on the ship for the rest of the night until the next morning when they would be brought back to shore one by one in a breeches buoy. As per the tradition of the sea the ship’s captain was the last person to leave the ship and reach the beach safely with the ship’s monkey in his arms.
At low tide The Ovington Court remains can still be seen from Addington Beach. There is very little left of her except for the engine block, keel, beams and steel plates.
Source: Facts about Durban