Since the mid-18th century, the feast of Our Lady of Miracles, held in the village of Corvo, has always attracted many pilgrims from the neighboring island of Flores. But on August 13, 1942, a tragedy occurred when the motorboat Senhora das Vitórias, traveling from Flores to Corvo, collided with rocks just 30 meters off the southern coast of Corvo Island.

The Story of the Vessel

The Senhora das Vitórias had an unusual background. It was originally a lifeboat that arrived at the port of Lajes das Flores carrying shipwrecked sailors from a French lugger. After being auctioned by customs authorities, it was purchased by a resident of the parish of Fazenda, on the same island.

Named Senhora das Vitórias and registered in 1934, it was popularly known as "the French one". In 1938, it underwent repairs that extended its length to 9.35 meters, increasing its capacity for cargo and passenger transport, especially between the islands of Flores and Corvo.

The Tragedy

On August 13, 1942, during the feast of Our Lady of Miracles:

• The boat had already completed one trip from Lajes to Corvo with a stop in Santa Cruz das Flores, without issues.
• It then prepared for a second trip, stopping in Fajã Grande.
• Despite delays and warnings not to sail at night, the skipper António de Almeida decided to depart around 7:00 PM with 34 passengers and 5 crew members, encouraged by the calm weather and the passengers' eagerness to attend the festivities.

The Shipwreck

Around 9:00 PM, under the cover of night:

• The boat approached the island, with the candlelight procession visible from afar, along with torches used by crab fishermen.
• These overlapping lights may have confused the skipper, causing a navigation error.
• The boat struck the rocks of Boqueirão, near Laredo da Calheta, just 30 meters from land.

Eyewitnesses said the passengers were cheerful. But as the boat neared the port:

• It began to scrape against rocks.
• It quickly tilted, took on water, and then capsized, ending up keel-up.

Chaos broke out. A crew member swam ashore to call for help, and a local boat rescued many passengers. But the final toll was grim: 9 confirmed dead and 8 missing – 7 men and 10 women in total.

Newspaper Coverage

"Two Islands in Mourning"
Flores and Corvo, the westernmost islands of our beautiful Archipelago, are in mourning—and with them, the entire district of Horta.
On Thursday night, death treacherously and horrifically claimed 17 Florentines traveling on a gas-powered boat from Fajã Grande to Corvo to attend the traditional Feast of Our Lady of Miracles.

— Correio da Horta newspaper

Mourning and Memory

Most of the victims' bodies were recovered and taken to the House of the Holy Spirit, where they were mourned before being buried the next day at the Corvo cemetery.

On August 14, 2006, 64 years after the tragedy, and at the initiative of the local priest:

• The image of Our Lady of Miracles was taken in procession from the Main Church to the Boqueirão port.
• A wreath of flowers was cast into the sea in honor of those who lost their lives.

Since then, this ceremony has been held annually as part of the celebration of Our Lady of Miracles, preserving the memory of that tragic day.

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