The SS Regulus was a steam-powered cargo vessel registered in St. John's, Newfoundland, constructed by the Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Company at Willington Quay and launched on October 26, 1878. She was built for service by Stevens and Mawson of Newcastle before being purchased in 1897 by A. Harvey and Company of Newfoundland. Throughout her operational life, Regulus served as a general cargo ship, primarily transporting goods along the northeast coast of North America, connecting Newfoundland ports with other regional destinations. The vessel measured a considerable size for her time, designed for cargo capacity and maritime endurance, though specific dimensions are not provided in the source. Her construction and service history earned her a reputation as a "jinxed ship," due to a series of misfortunes. Notably, in 1907, she collided head-on with an iceberg off Bay Bulls, sustaining severe damage. Just three months prior to her sinking, on July 15, 1910, Regulus was involved in a collision with the SS Karema while en route from Bell Island to Philadelphia with a full load of iron ore, resulting in significant damage to both vessels. Her final voyage began on October 22, 1910, when she departed Bell Island in ballast heading toward Sydney, Nova Scotia. Early that afternoon, she sent a distress signal reporting a broken tail shaft while anchored off Shoal Bay, prompting immediate assistance from two tugs, John Green and D.P. Ingraham. Despite efforts to locate her in foggy, heavy seas, the tugs found Regulus around 10 pm, and an attempt was made to tow her to St. John’s. The tow, initiated at about 1 am, was conducted under worsening weather conditions, with gale-force winds and heavy seas. The tow line broke around 2:30 am, and Regulus was seen drifting leeward before disappearing from sight. The wreck was eventually located in Leeward Cove, lodged in rocks with her propeller lodged in a cliff. Heavy seas prevented recovery of the crew, and subsequent efforts by local residents and a diving team from HMS Brilliant confirmed that the vessel had foundered on Hayes’ Reef. The wreck broke up over the following days, and no bodies were recovered. A court inquiry blamed the tug’s crew for improper navigation, concluding that the collision and wreck resulted from unsafe course choices in treacherous conditions. The sinking of SS Regulus remains a poignant maritime tragedy in Newfoundland’s history.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.