RMS Magdalena was a substantial passenger and refrigerated cargo ocean liner constructed by Harland and Wolff in Belfast in 1948. She measured 17,547 gross register tons (GRT) and was among the largest ships built in the UK at that time, being the third-largest ship under construction in Britain. The vessel was launched on 11 May 1948 and was designed to serve on a route connecting England with the east coast of South America, specifically from Tilbury to ports including Pernambuco, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires. Her overall length was 570 feet 1 inch (173.76 meters), with a length between perpendiculars of 540 feet (164.59 meters). She had a beam of 73 feet 3 inches (22.33 meters) and a draught of 28 feet 9 inches (8.76 meters). Power was provided by two Parsons steam turbines, double reduction geared, generating 18,000 shaft horsepower (13,000 kW), which enabled her to reach speeds of up to 18 knots (33 km/h). The ship featured five holds for refrigerated cargo—three forward and two aft—totaling approximately 460,000 cubic feet (13,000 m³), and was divided internally into nine watertight compartments. Her construction was a combination of riveted and welded techniques, with a double bottom for added safety. Magdalena was equipped to carry 251 crew members and 529 passengers, and her registry was in London. She was fitted with the official number 182955 and the code letters GFQD. Her maiden voyage commenced on 9 March 1949 from London, heading to Buenos Aires, with stops at Las Palmas and Rio de Janeiro. Her cargo included meat and oranges, and she carried 237 crew and 347 passengers. Unfortunately, her service was tragically short-lived; during her return voyage on 25 April 1949, she struck the Tijucas Rocks near Rio de Janeiro in poor visibility conditions, leading to her wreck. Rescue operations salvaged all aboard, and the vessel was eventually refloated, but she was irreparably damaged. The bow section was abandoned and sank at the entrance to Guanabara Bay, while the stern was towed into Rio de Janeiro, where it was sold for scrap. The incident resulted in the largest marine insurance payout in the UK at the time, totaling £2,295,000. An investigation found navigational errors contributed to the accident, leading to suspensions of her captain and first officer. Magdalena's wreck remains a notable example of maritime tragedy on her maiden voyage, marking her as one of the few ships built by Harland and Wolff to be lost so early in her career.

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