The SS Roraima was a Canadian flagged, steam powered passenger and cargo ship that had the misfortune to be at anchor off the port of St. Pierre, Martinique on the morning of May 8, 1902. Built in 1883, the vessel was 103.6 m long (340 ft). It was operated by the Bombay and Persis SteamShip Co. until 1900 and was named the SS Ghazee . In 1900 the vessel was acquired by the Quebec Steamship line and was renamed the Roraima. The SS Roraima was transporting a cargo of potassium and passengers when the crew dropped anchor in the port of St. Pierre at 6:30 am on Thursday, May 8, 1902. Mont Pelee, the nearby volcano, which had been rumbling for weeks, erupted at 8 am and blew half the mountain away. The superheated gases from the explosion flowed down the slope toward the sea and literally incinerated the entire town of St Pelee at 8:02 am, along with eighteen ships that were anchored nearby. Very few people in the town of 28,000 were known to survive. The eruption is considered one of the deadliest eruptions in recorded history, far more deadly than Vesuvius and only slightly less deadly than Krakatoa. The study of the causes of the disaster marked the beginning of modern volcanology.
The combustible cargo on the SS Roraima caught fire and the ship burned for three days before finally sinking. Of the 68 souls on board only 15 survived. The remains of the vessel are now sitting upright on the bottom with a slight tilt to the port side. The keel rests at 160 - 205 feet. The vessel is mostly intact except for the bow which was broken down and the stern which has split from the main wreckage. The SS Roraima is one of seven documented wrecks: 1) the wooden hulled bark SS Biscaye resting at 29 - 39 m; 2) the SS Diamant; 3) the British flagged cable laying ship SS Grappler that was working offshore; 4) the SS Nord-America ; 5) the SV Tamaya ; and, 6) the SV Teresa Lo Vica ;
The volcano has been quiescent since 1902 and is closely monitored for any signs of activity. Despite this horrific history, travelling to Martinique is safe.
A YouTube video of a dive on the SS Roraima posted by Jeremy Godefroy on 25 June 2021