SS TILAWA 1942 | The Forgotten Tragedy | Nov 23 1942
SECOND WRECK VISIT | 2025
S.S. TILAWA WRECK REVISTED IN 2025 BY MAGELLAN LTD.
MAGELLAN LTD. HONOURS SS TILAWA VICTIMS
Tilawa1942 thanks Magellan Ltd., Seabank Digital, Ocean Liner Designs, and Mr. Michael Brady, for sharing their visit of the wreck in March 2025. Their team have thoroughly examined the wreck condition, documented their exploration through media, and shared it at the Leicester 83rd anniversary commemorative event in 2025. Ocean Liner Designs recreated the S.S. Tilawa to help visualize the vessel before it sunk.
SEE THE WRECK FOR THE FIRST TIME!
Unseen for 83 Years: The Wreck of SS Tilawa
For the first time in 83 years, the wreck of the SS Tilawa has been seen and documented! Lost in the Indian Ocean in 1942 after being struck by two Japanese torpedoes, the passenger and cargo liner sank with over 700 people onboard. Now, thanks to a groundbreaking deep-sea expedition by Magellan Ltd in February 2025, stunning new footage reveals the final resting place of this long-lost vessel. Since nicknamed the “Indian Titanic,” (but perhaps closer to being India's Lusitania) the Tilawa was carrying civilians, gold, and silver when she was attacked without warning.
The Lost Wreck of SS TILAWA with Oceanliner Designs
In February 2025, deep-sea exploration company Magellan Ltd made history by documenting the wreck of the SS Tilawa—a passenger-cargo ship sunk in the Indian Ocean during World War II. Lost beneath the waves since 1942, the wreck has remained unseen for over eight decades—until now. This video takes you deep beneath the surface for the first-ever visual tour of the SS Tilawa’s final resting place. Using state-of-the-art submersibles and advanced photogrammetry, Magellan’s team captured breathtaking footage of the site where more than 280 lives were lost after the ship was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. Host Mike Brady from Oceanliner Designs sits down to interview Magellan's James Holt and Doug Scott on the challenges faced exploring ships like Tilawa and the fascinating stories of her life and times.
Magellan Limited Honours Victims of the SS Tilawa Civilian Tragedy
Magellan Limited, a global leader in deep-sea exploration and mapping, has transited to the wreck site of the SS Tilawa, a British passenger-cargo liner sunk during World War II in one of the rare large-scale civilian maritime tragedies of the conflict.
Commissioned to carry out this work, Magellan was tasked with laying a commemorative plaque at the wreck site in memory of the 280 lives lost, conducting a detailed video and photographic survey of the site, and supporting efforts to bring the personal histories of survivors into public view.
The SS Tilawa was torpedoed on November 23, 1942, by Japanese submarine I-29 while en route from Mumbai to Durban. Aboard were 732 passengers and 222 crew plus 4 gunners. After being struck by two torpedoes, the HMS Birmingham and the SS Carthage rescued 678; 280 men, women, and children were lost to the sea.
Using advanced submersible and imaging technology, Magellan’s team documented the wreck at a depth of approximately 4,200 meters, capturing high-resolution visual records to support historical preservation. A commemorative plaque was also placed at the site as a permanent tribute to those who perished.
“Being commissioned to work on the SS Tilawa site was both a technical challenge and a deep honour,” said a spokesperson for Magellan Limited. “This was more than a survey. It was an act of remembrance. By recording the wreck and helping to share the survivors’ stories, we aim to ensure the memory of this tragedy lives on.”
Known by some as the “Indian Titanic,” the story of the Tilawa has gained renewed interest in recent years. In 2017, British company Argentum Exploration located the wreck and later recovered over 2,300 silver bars that had been on board, valued at over £32million in 2024.
The work by Magellan Limited marks an important step in publicly acknowledging this overlooked chapter in maritime and wartime history, and ensures that both the lives lost and those who survived are not forgotten.
CREDIT. MAGELLAN LTD. AND SEABANK DIGITAL FOR THESE IMAGES OF THE 2025 WRECK VISIT
A tragedy that cost the lives of hundreds of Indian people
TILAWA 1942™ | The Forgotten Tragedy™
Dedicated to the missing & surviving victims of the SS Tilawa tragedy.
This website uses cookies.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.