January 27th 1974 the Greek sugar-carrying merchant navy ship Captayannis dragged it’s anchor and capsized on the Firth of Clyde between Greenock and Helensburgh.
The 4,567-ton 'sugar boat’ got into trouble on the night of January 27, when a fierce storm hit.
The vessel had dropped anchor at the Tail of the Bank, with a cargo of sugar from Lourenco Marques in Portuguese East Africa, and waited for high tide to offload it at the James Watt Dock sugar terminal for processing at Tate & Lyle’s Westburn Refinery.
However, a severe gale hit the west coast, with winds of more than 60mph, and the Captayannis began to drag anchor.
Captain Theodorakis Ionnis ordered the engine to be started, intending to make for the more sheltered waters of the Gare Loch.
Also anchored at the Tail of the Bank, however, was the 36,754 ton BP tanker British Light, recently arrived from Elderslie dry dock.
Before the Captayannis could power-up, the gale blew her towards the tanker, and, although the two vessels didn’t touch, the tanker’s anchor chain ripped through the passing Captayannis’ hull.
Seawater immediately started pouring in, and the pumps couldn’t cope.
The captain made for the sandbank to try to ground his ship, but, when he reached it, the profile of the hull meant the vessel wasn’t stable and began to heel over to port.
This resulted in all power being lost, and the Captayannis eventually settled port side down on the sandbank.
The crew were rescued, without injury, by the tug Labrador and the MV Rover of Clyde Marine Services.
By 10am on January 28, wreckage from the ship had already been washed ashore at Helensburgh.
The vessel has lain in the same spot since the sinking and is not considered a hazard to navigation.
She remains unable to be removed due to a wrangle between her owners and insurers, and plans to have her blown up were shelved due to fears over damage to the nearby Ardmore Point bird sanctuary.
The locals don't seem to mind the wreck lying there as it became a popular attraction for young fishermen and even tourists, a Bistro on Colquhoun Square, Helensburgh even bears the name Sugarboat. Through time Captayannis has become 'home' to marine life and birds, the wreck is even visible on satellite and is tagged on Google Earth.
Clyde Charters are running trips from James Watt Dock Marina to MV Captayannis to mark 50 years since the ship. It's a small boat carrying 12 passengers and the trip, which lasts an hour costs £17.95 for adults and £12.95 for children.
