1947: SS Heimara – A Voyage into Death | 19 Jan. 2026

On this day, January 19… One of the greatest maritime tragedies in history occurred. The SS Heimara, carrying 616 people (530 passengers and 86 crew members), sank in the South Euboean Gulf. An explosion rocked the ship, which turned into a shapeless mass and drifted uncontrollably for an hour and a half. Without help, without hope… 383 lives (341 passengers and 42 crew) were lost. The causes of the tragedy were never clarified. Many theories exist: collision with a reef, navigating into a minefield, or even a time-bomb explosion, according to reports in the conservative press of the time. Speculation was fueled by the presence of 36 political prisoners being transported into exile: officials of the Communist Party of Greece from Thessaloniki, trade unionists from across Macedonia, and progressive journalists of the era.