Astron (ship)

	The Astron shipwreck in 2008
History
Name	Esmeralda
Operator	Compagnie Auxiliaire De Navigation
Builder	Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire, France
Yard number	L17
Launched	1957
Out of service	1972
Fate	Acquired by Pontiac Shipping Co. Ltd 1972
History
Name	Bonnie
In service	1972
Out of service	1976
Fate	renamed Astron
History
Name	Astron
Owner	Pontiac Shipping Co. Ltd
Port of registry	Panama
In service	1976
Identification	IMO number: 5106380
Fate	Run aground in off Punta Cana, 7 April 1978
General characteristics
Type	Oil tanker
Tonnage	26,947 GRT; 27,990 GT; 47,012 DWT;
Length	127 m
Propulsion	Steam Turbine
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)

Astron (previously named Esmeralda and Bonnie) is a shipwreck located off the coast of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. She was a Russian-owned cargo ship built in France by Chantiers de l'Atlantique during 1957. She was 127 metres (417 feet) long, 27,990 gross tons, and was a motor ship.^[1]^[3]

Astron was delivering 60 tons of corn to Cuba on 7 April 1978, when she ran aground at Punta Cana during a storm. However, there is no hurricane or tropical storm listed during this date in the history of the Atlantic Hurricane season of 1978.^[4] This ship either hit a mine, was torpedoed, or intentionally scuttled, evidenced by the extensive ripped steel of the lower hull.^[5] She broke into two distinct sections with the bow above the water and the stern underwater, with 7,330 barrels of bunker fuel reported lost in the incident. The wreck is in water 16 metres (52 feet) deep, meaning it can be visited by scuba divers.^[3]

As of 2018 only a small portion remains above water.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o "MV Astron (+1978)". wrecksite.eu. The Wreck site. Retrieved 3 January 2012.^{[dead link‍]}
^ ^a ^b "ASTRON". Marine Traffic. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
^ ^a ^b Robson, Rob. "Astron Shipwreck". Rob-Robson.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
^ Lawrence, Miles (1979-01-29). "Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1978" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-09-27.
^ Baker, Christopher (2008-05-01). Dominican Republic. National Geographic. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-4262-0232-2.

External links

Astron shipwreck

18°43′49.79″N 68°27′14.27″W / 18.7304972°N 68.4539639°W / 18.7304972; -68.4539639

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[WS-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o "MV Astron (+1978)". wrecksite.eu. The Wreck site. Retrieved 3 January 2012.^{[dead link‍]}

[MT-2] "ASTRON". Marine Traffic. Retrieved 4 May 2016.

[RobRobson-3] Robson, Rob. "Astron Shipwreck". Rob-Robson.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2009.

[4] Lawrence, Miles (1979-01-29). "Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1978" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-09-27.

[5] Baker, Christopher (2008-05-01). Dominican Republic. National Geographic. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-4262-0232-2.

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[5]

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1978
Shipwrecks	26 Jan: USS Ross 23 Feb: USS Rowe 16 Mar: Amoco Cadiz 23 Mar: Kronos 7 Apr: Astron 17 Jun: Whippoorwill 25 Jun: Chantal 28 Jun: Margaret Smith 8 Jul: USS Sealion 18 Jul: Birgo 23 Jul: Jayawag 30 Jul: Locuste 3 Aug: SAS Transvaal 27 Aug: USS Cree 3 Oct: HMCS Kapuskasing 18 Oct: HMS Eagle, USS Mackerel 20 Oct: USCGC Cuyahoga 30 Oct: Kiowa 8 Nov: Glacier Queen 16 Nov: Manureva November (unknown date): HMS Undaunted 10 Dec: MV Holoholo 12 Dec: SAS Good Hope 13 Dec: München 30 Dec: Ben Asdale
Other incidents	26 Nov: Star Canopus
1977 1979

History
The Astron shipwreck in 2008
Name	Esmeralda
Operator	Compagnie Auxiliaire De Navigation^[1]
Builder	Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire, France^[1]
Yard number	L17^[1]
Launched	1957
Out of service	1972
Fate	Acquired by Pontiac Shipping Co. Ltd 1972^[1]
History
Name	Bonnie
In service	1972^[1]
Out of service	1976^[1]
Fate	renamed Astron^[1]
History
Name	Astron
Owner	Pontiac Shipping Co. Ltd^[1]
Port of registry	Panama
In service	1976^[1]
Identification	IMO number: 5106380^[1]
Fate	Run aground in off Punta Cana, 7 April 1978^[1]
General characteristics
Type	Oil tanker
Tonnage	26,947 GRT^[1] 27,990 GT^[2] 47,012 DWT^[2]
Length	127 m
Propulsion	Steam Turbine^[1]
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)^[1]