13 minutes | Wednesday, 9 November 2022
Don Kotak speaks to Emile Solanki about Tilawa 1942, the forgotten tragedy.
On November 20th 1942 at 17:00, S.S. Tilawa set sail for the continent of Africa. She departed from Ballard Pier, Mumbai with 222 crew members, 732 passengers, and 4 gunners. There were 9 lifeboats, over 6,000 tons of cargo, including 60 tons of silver bullion.
In the middle of the Indian Ocean, 930 miles northeast of the Seychelles, on November 23rd the Japanese Imperial Navy fired 2 torpedos and sunk Tilawa.
HMS Birmingham and S.S. Carthage rescued 678 people. Sadly 280 people perished.