Minimum number of divers: 10
Max Depth - 40m
Tonnage - 4229
Length - 370
Date sunk - 21 Feb 1918
Type of vessel - Steam Ship
How sunk - Collision
Former names - None
Wreck height - 7m
Travelling from South Africa for Plymouth with a cargo of coal and South African labour battalion the steam ship Mendi was struck on her starboard side by the 11,480 ton ship Darro who was travelling silently a full speed in dense fog with no lights. To make matters worse the Darro stood off from the Mendi, not even lowering any rescue boats for fear of nearby enemy submarines. In all 645 crew and troops were lost in the sinking of the Mendi, making it one of the worst maritime disasters in British waters. The Captain of the Darro later had his masters certificate suspended for a mere 12 months.
The wreck lies on her starboard side. She is a substantial wreck. The stern gun lies on the seabed.
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