27th January 1949: Tai Ping collision with Kien Yuan, more than 1.500 people died!

Credit : Yingliang@AF

The Chinese steamship ferry Tai Ping, launched 1921, on a voyage from Shanghai to Keelung
with about 1,500 passengers and a large consignment of Nationalist Government securities
and currency, collided with the Chinese steamship Kien Yuan, 2,160 tons, on January 27th, 1949,
in thick fog in Bonham Strait, N. of Chusan Island, in the Baijie Strait about 71 miles southeast of Shanghai.

The latter ship sank almost immediately and the Tai Ping 15 minutes afterwards.
The Australian destroyer Warramunga went to assist but was able to
save only 35 persons.

The Kien Yuang, was the former Norwegian War Timiskaming, then became French Oise 1919
(Cie Generale Transatlantique, St.Nazaire), Estonian Kotkas 1929 (Kronstrom & Kowamees, Tallinn, Estonia),
Panamanian Farida 1941, Panamanian Nidaros 1946,
Norwegian Nidaros 1946 (Rederi A/S Nidaros, Oslo), Chinese Kien Yuan 1948 (Kien Yuan SS Co, Shanghai).