SS Princess Sophia Sinking

The SS Princess Sophia sank in Alaska’s Lynn Canal in October 1918, killing everyone on board with around 360 passengers and crew. This disaster is one of the worst nautical disasters in West Coast history. A new headstone at Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver now pays tribute to the O’Brien family, seven members of which were among those who died.

The ship ran aground at full throttle on the Vanderbilt reef, about 50 kilometers northwest of Juneau, Alaska, just four hours after leaving Skagway. It was the middle of the night, and without modern navigational technology, the vessel had strayed about two kilometers off course. The captain sent out mayday calls, and the first help boat arrived around 5 AM, but fluctuating tides and blizzard conditions prevented them from getting close.

For two days, the ship lost power, and stormy conditions continued. Passengers and crew had no light or heat, only hearing the gale-force winds, the pounding sea, and the ship grinding on the reef. Ultimately, waves battering the stern dislodged it, and the Princess Sophia sank within an hour. When rescue crews arrived on the morning of October 26, 1918, the weather had calmed, but only the mast was visible above the water.

A public inquiry and lawsuit determined that the disaster was caused by “perils of the sea,” and the captain had done everything he could to protect those on board. It took many months to recover the victims' bodies. The last O’Brien, Sarah, was recovered ten months after the accident. Many victims are buried in Seattle and Victoria's Ross Bay Cemetery, but the largest number, 74, including the O’Briens, are here at Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver.