Gps Coordinates / 12.601952,-70.0583194
Antilla Shipwreck 1939 WWII Uboat Repair Vehicle Aruba Vr 360
JW2R+QMM Noord, Aruba
Antilla is one of the Caribbean's largest shipwrecks, exceeded by only the 600-foot cruise liners Bianca C. and Antilles. Antilla lies on its port side in Malmok Bay, Aruba in up to 60 feet (18 m) of water, but with a small part of its starboard side exposed above water. By 1953 storm damage had broken the wreck in two amidships.
Gps Coordinates / 12.6021601,-70.0576425
The Dutch Antilles authorities interned as enemy aliens 220 German nationals, including Antilla's 35 crew. The Dutch made Antilla's crew build an internment camp on Bonaire to house their fellow detainees. However, the British authorities had agreed to take them and intern them on Jamaica. On 5 July 1940 all 220 detainees were embarked on the British banana boat Jamaica Producer. It took them to Jamaica, where they were interned for the rest of the war.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -70.058306 / Gps Link -70.0582956 / Gps Link -70.0582809
Gps Coordinates / 12.6019493,-70.058306 / 12.6019474,-70.0582956 / 12.6019453,-70.0582809
On 9 April Germany invaded Denmark and Norway. This increased the fear that the Netherlands would also be invaded, so on 12 April Dutch authorities in Aruba confined Antilla's crew to their ship. On 10 May Germany invaded the Netherlands so the Dutch government ordered the seizure of all German ships in the Dutch Antilles.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -70.0582504 / Gps Link -70.0582358 / Gps Link -70.0581874
Gps Coordinates / 12.6019412,-70.0582504 / 12.6019389,-70.0582358 / 12.6019303,-70.0581874
At 0310 hrs on 10 May a section of Dutch Marines in two boats approached Antilla to board her but Schmidt refused to lower the gangway. The Dutch marines were commanded by a Captain who anticipated armed resistance from the German crew. He therefore postponed the boarding to first light, when a machine gun positioned ashore could provide cover.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -70.0581718 / Gps Link -70.058154 / Gps Link -70.0581384
Gps Coordinates / 12.6019272,-70.0581718 / 12.6019245,-70.058154 / 12.6019218,-70.0581384
The German crew used the delay to start scuttling Antilla. One crewman locked himself in the engine room, opened her seacocks and climbed out through the funnel. Other crew set fire to several parts of the ship. At 0500 hrs the Dutch marines boarded the ship and at 0530 the German crew was assembled on the poop deck. The Marines escorted the crew ashore in a lifeboat and handed them into the custody of the Royal Marechaussee.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -70.0581215 / Gps Link -70.0581073 / Gps Link -70.0580918
Gps Coordinates / 12.6019201,-70.0581215 / 12.6019184,-70.0581073 / 12.6019169,-70.0580918
At 0600 hours, two Netherlands Coastguard vessels, HM Aruba and HM Practico, reached Malmok Bay and found Antilla on fire. Two of Aruba's crew boarded Antilla, found the engine room and holds 4 and 5 ablaze, and that it was not possible to reach the seacocks in order to close them. After the Dutch marines had removed the German crew, Aruba fired two rounds at Antilla from her 37mm gun.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -70.0580778 / Gps Link -70.0580612 / Gps Link -70.0580314
Gps Coordinates / 12.6019154,-70.0580778 / 12.6019134,-70.0580612 / 12.6019108,-70.0580314
By 0650 hours, Antilla was afire from bow to stern and she was listing 20 degrees to port. Aruba left Malmok Bay at 1130 hours, by which time Antilla's list had increased to 30 degrees and she was sinking.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -70.0580165 / Gps Link -70.0580004 / Gps Link -70.057612
Gps Coordinates / 12.6019099,-70.0580165 / 12.6019094,-70.0580004 / 12.6020133,-70.057612
Corals and tube spongeshave colonised the wreck, which attracts lobsters, hawksbill sea turtles and many species of fish, including moray eels and blue tang. In 2010 a large Atlantic goliath grouper was reported living in the forward section.
Gps Coordinates / 12.6019556,-70.058333
Antilla is a popular dive site, and has been popular for penetration diving. Storm damage has continued to break up the wreck, and some divers consider it now unsafe to enter.
