Shipwrecks of Nova Scotia

Shipwreck Data
Vessel Name	Erg
Other Names	Original name Sambro
Vessel Type	Harbour Tug
Owner	Halifax Steamship Ltd.
Length / Beam / Draft (feet)	55' / 14' /
Tonnage	46 GT
Hull Construction	Steel
Propulsion	Steam / Screw (later converted to diesel)
Cargo
Built	1915 at Halifax, NS (Halifax Shipyard Ltd.)
Date of Loss	June 6, 1943
Reason for Loss	Rammed by steamer Norelg and sank
Fatalities	19 (5 men on board survived)
Last Trip	Halifax Harbour
Wreck Location	The final location of the Erg is in the northern part of Bedford Basin - near Roach Cove
Coordinates (Lat/Lon)
Coordinates (Loran C)
Water Depth (feet)	60'
Typical Visibility (feet)
Wreck Condition	Upright and mostly intact
Diving Considerations	Generally poor underwater visibility
Other Information	One of the earliest steel vessels built in Halifax, Sambro was a steam tug built and owned by Halifax Shipyard. She was sunk by the Halifax Explosion in 1917. Ten years later, she was raised, re-named Erg and converted to a diesel work boat. She was sunk again on July 6, 1943 in a collision with Norelg a Norwegian freighter. Erg was carrying shipyard workers when the freighter, arriving in Bedford Basin, overtook her in fog and rain to strike her on the port side. Only five of the 24 men on board were saved. An inquiry blamed carelessness and a poor look-out about Norelg. Fourteen days after sinking, Erg was raised by the floating crane Lord Kitchener and the bodies of 10 victims removed. Too badly damaged to repair, she was scuttled near Roach Cove in Bedford Basin and forgotten. In 2001, a team from the Nova Scotia Undersea Exploration Society located and identified the wreck. Divers please note that the Erg wreck is a Protected Heritage Site and that nothing on the wreck is to be disturbed or removed.

Click on thumbnail image for a larger view
	Click here for a picture
Wreck Chart #2 Halifax and Approaches	Bow of Erg after sinking in 1943 (Maritime Museum - Halifax)