The background of the Havana Bay holds silent witnesses to its naval past. One of the most emblematic is the wreck of the Spanish cruiser Sánchez Barcáiztegui, a key player in one of the largest maritime tragedies that occurred in Cuba.
It was built in 1876 at the French shipyards in Toulon by the firm Chantiers Conrad. The vessel of the Spanish Navy displaced 935 tons, was well-armed, and had 146 men under the command of frigate captain Francisco Ibáñez Varela.
On September 18, 1895, as it was leaving the Havana port, the ship Sánchez Barcáiztegui went completely dark due to an electrical failure and began signaling the Spanish steam cruiser Conde de Mortera, which was entering at that moment.
For unknown reasons, the officers of the merchant vessel did not understand the signals, and the Sánchez Barcáiztegui was rammed by the Mortera. The collision caused it to sink within minutes.
In the tragedy, 31 sailors lost their lives. Reports indicate that some drowned while others fell victim to shark attacks, which were common in the area, even though they are rarely seen now.
The wreck is located at a depth of 22 meters, right at the entrance of the bay, and has been a landmark of Cuban underwater archaeology since the 1950s.
The video featuring diver and content creator Ernesto Plasencia (@co_diver) showcases stunning images of the wreck covered in corals, which remains a site of study and historical significance.
It is not the only shipwreck in the area. Another of the vessels whose remnants lie on the seabed of the bay is the Spanish corvette San Antonio.
It ran aground on September 21, 1909, after a strong swell. Interestingly, part of the material it was carrying was used a century later in the restoration of historic buildings in Havana.
Beneath the waters of the Havana bay, amidst tragedies, sharks, and rusty steel, a part of Cuba's forgotten history endures.
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