Hunting New England Shipwrecks

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Steamer Newcastle City (Quest Marine Services)	Report on the sinking from the New York Times 08 January 1888

Shipwreck Data
Vessel Name	Newcastle City
Other Names
Vessel Type	Cargo Steamer (2 masts)
Owner
Length / Beam / Draft (feet)	285' / 36' /
Tonnage	2,129 GT
Hull Construction	Iron
Propulsion	Steam / Screw - with brigantine-rigged sails
Cargo	General Cargo
Built	1882 at West Hartlepool, England (E. Withy & Company)
Date of Loss	December 23, 1887
Reason for Loss	Struck shoal and foundered
Fatalities	None (26 crewmen and 1 passenger survived)
Location	Nantucket Shoals - 40 miles SE of Nantucket Island, MA
Coordinates (Lat/Lon)	40 - 37 N / 69 - 37 W
Coordinates (Loran C)
Water Depth (feet)	100'
Typical Visibility (feet)
Wreck Condition	Hull mostly collapsed
Diving Considerations
Other Information	Last Trip - South Shields, England to New York The Newcastle City grounded and sank in 1887 within site of the Nantucket Shoals Lightship. When she began sinking, the crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats and survived by rowing several miles to the lightship. The exact location of the wreck was unknown for over 100 years, but it was located and confirmed by divers from Quest Marine Services in 2008. For more information on the wreck and its discovery, click here.