On January 16, 1964, the Liberian-flagged MV Dori sank near the port of Ponta Delgada, while en route from Europe to the United States, after taking on water for several days.

The ship was originally built in 1943 by Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland, and was launched as the Edwin L. Drake. It was one of the 2,751 Liberty Ships constructed by the United States between 1941 and 1945—vessels considered essential to the Allied victory during World War II. These ships were designed for rapid assembly, with pre-fabricated components assembled in 17 shipyards. There was even a record case of one being completed in just four and a half days.

The Edwin L. Drake displaced 7,176 tons, was 130 meters long, and served in convoys that crossed the Atlantic to ports like Murmansk, Liverpool, and Alexandria. It took part in the D-Day Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, and in February 1945, during an air attack on a convoy headed to Molotovsk, USSR, it was credited with shooting down a German Focke-Wulf aircraft.

After Germany's surrender, the ship was relocated to the Pacific Ocean, where it served in Okinawa and Tokyo following Japan’s surrender. Over the years, the vessel changed owners and names—Seadrake, Phoenix, Anassa, Praxiteles—until it was finally purchased by a Greek shipowner in 1962, registered under the Liberian flag, and renamed Dori.

It was under this name that the ship made its final voyage, departing from Bremen, Germany, bound for New Orleans, USA, carrying 9,800 tons of steel rolls. After facing rough seas and taking on water for five days, the vessel approached São Miguel Island and ultimately sank about 800 meters off the coast, near the Church of São Roque and close to Ponta Delgada.

That very day, the Ponta Delgada correspondent of Diário de Lisboa sent news of the event to Lisbon. The paper published it the same afternoon under the headline:

"A Liberian ship is sinking off the coast of São Miguel."

PONTA DELGADA, Jan 16 –
The Liberian ship Dori, weighing 7,237 tons and en route from Bremen to New Orleans, is sinking near São Roque Beach.
The ship had been taking on water in the forward holds for five days.
It was carrying a cargo of rolled steel sheets and had a U.S. family of five onboard, who disembarked this morning.
Ten of the thirty crew members also disembarked, including one in a state of emotional distress due to having lost two brothers in the recent sinking of the Lakonia.
The rest of the crew will abandon ship if ongoing efforts to stop the flooding prove unsuccessful. — (A.N.I.)

That same day, Diário dos Açores confirmed the vessel had already sunk:

"The ship sank bow-first, seemingly breaking around hold number 2. Shortly after, the stern slowly submerged until the ship rested completely on the seabed. The masts, funnel, and top of the bridge remained visible above water, marking the end of this maritime disaster on our shores."

All attempts to save the vessel failed. The crew abandoned the ship, and the former Edwin L. Drake began to go under.

On January 18, 1964, Açoriano Oriental provided detailed coverage under the headline:

"The Dori, a Liberian freighter with a Greek crew, sank near São Roque Beach—no casualties reported."

On the previous Wednesday, around 9:45 PM, authorities received a telegram from the Dori requesting a tugboat and a diver due to a massive breach in hold number 1. Water was entering at an alarming rate—rising one foot every two hours.

The situation worsened as the water breached hold number 2, prompting a second message around 8:00 AM Thursday, requesting to evacuate the five passengers onboard.

The Azores Naval Command dispatched the patrol vessel Santa Luzia, which returned to base around 7:00 AM. Meanwhile, at around 4:00 AM, a couple and three children were transferred to the Pilot Boat, five miles offshore.

With the bow already submerged and hold number 3 flooding, the Dori anchored about 18 meters deep, directly in front of the Church of São Roque.

All rescue efforts having failed, the crew began abandoning the ship at 9:30 AM, as the engine room was already fully flooded.

At around 1:00 PM, the final crew members left the ship, followed by Captain George Papanicolaon, aged 80. He jumped onto the Pilot Boat and reportedly asked Commander Emanuel Ricou to let him stay and witness the final moments of the Dori.

The incident captivated the city’s population. Thousands made their way to São Roque to watch what was described as:

"An unprecedented event with tragic consequences—though, fortunately, without any loss of life."

As the weather worsened, with strong southeasterly winds, the dismantling of the wreck accelerated:

"Waves struck the sunken hull, twisting exposed metal parts like the rudder post and other machinery. Fragments of the ship, including wooden debris, began washing ashore in the bays of Pópulo and São Roque."

Legacy

Today, the wreck of the MV Dori is one of the most visited dive sites in the Azores. In 2012, the Regional Government of the Azores officially designated the site as a Visit-Worthy Underwater Archaeological Park.

I am sharing photos of landscapes, moments and experiences. Nature and sea are the most visited themes in my photo collection, but any attention-grabbing aspect can be photographed. Hope you enjoy it...