The Alaska State Library records that around the turn of the 20th century, the state’s coastline saw 87 boats wreck and sink in less than 40 years. However, not all of them led to great tragedy, and in at least one instance there were no casualties. Sadly, this was far from the case in the sinking of the SS Princess Sophia.
While the steamship was technically only allowed to have 250 people onboard, this was regularly ignored, since 500 could fit comfortably. When it departed from Skagway on October 23, 1918, there were 343 passengers and 21 crewmembers aboard; it was particularly busy since winter was coming and many people were heading further south before it got too cold. However, the ship found itself in a snowstorm and, blinded, ended up off course. Hours after departing, in the early hours of October 24, the Princess Sophia rammed straight into a reef (pictured).
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The ship had been in similar situations before, according to the Anchorage Daily News, and since water wasn’t coming in, it just stayed there, waiting for the storm to pass so those on board could be rescued. But after being stuck for 40 hours, the ship shifted and sank. As the ship radioed rescuers “For God’s sake hurry,” one passenger had already written to his fiance telling her “the boat may go to pieces” and that he’d written his will that morning, “leaving everything to you, my own true love” (via CBC News). Everyone on board died except a dog named Tommy.
