This Day in History December 12, 1939 (or the 13th)

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I had never heard of today's feature--maybe you have.  The SS Indigirka was a Soviet ship that began transporting prisoners in 1919.  It was named after a river in Siberia, and it served under several different names throughout its "career."  It was able to hold about 1500 prisoners.

On December 8, 1919, it left Magadan to Vladivastok.  It left with the following aboard:

• 39 crew
• 249 fisherman and their families
• 50 prisoners that were kept under guard
• 835 prisoners who had technical skills needed for the war effort

On this date (or the 13th, it's unclear), 1939, at 2:20 A.M., the ship ran aground due to a blizzard. It was off the Japanese coast, and the prisoners were prevented from getting off the ship.  The ship came to rest in shallow water, and the captain, most of the crew and fishermen were rescued.  On December 16, rescue of the prisoners began.  Only 28 survivors were found (one later died), and the death toll was 741.

For more information:

http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?138974

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Indigirka#cite_note-8