Was doing a bit more searching the other day for any more info on the SS Waratah which disappeared in 1909 between Durban and East London - believed to be off the mouth of the Bashee river. Coincidentally years later (1967) a Viscount airliner of SAA - Rietbok - also disappeared in that area. All sorts of claims were put forward in the investigation but no trace of her was ever found either.
Clive Cussler funded a search for the Waratah in the late 90's and it was claimed by Emlyn Brown that she was found in 1999 using side scanning radar - but no location was ever given. Geoffrey Jenkins also wrote a novel based on the two's disappearance.....
I was a little taken aback to realise after all these years of looking for information on her that she was launched on my birthday - albeit a good few years before in 1908............
Perhaps that's why I have never lost interest in finding out what happened to her.
It was claimed that she was top heavy and probably overwhelmed by a huge wave - they do occur in that area from time to time - (one took a 30m chunk out of a VLCC bow). A few other theories as well - none of which seem to apply (wikpedia). No trace was ever found until the claim in 1999. From her drawings its hard to believe she was top-heavy as she had nothing like the superstructure of modern liners. Often thought of building a model - but it would not prove anything unless built as a total replica. She also had 1000 tons of lead as a cargo stowed at the bottom of her holds which surely would have made her even more stable.........
All in All much more interesting than the Titanic..........