M/S “Connie” (ex Hosianna) — Shipwreck Summary
Key Specifications:
- Vessel Name: M/S Connie (ex Hosianna)
- Type: Steel Motor Galease (Galease – stål)
- Callsign / Reg ID: OYRP — j/235 | VragID: 2243
- Dimensions / Tonnage: 34 BRT / 16 NET | 74 IHK Motor
- Built: 1911 in Holland
- Home Port: Egernsund, Denmark (Registered May 21, 1937)
- Skipper: Matthias P. Mathiesen
- Location (WGS84): 54° 53.731′ N, 10° 09.305′ E (Lillebælt / Mommark SØ)
- Depth: 29.13 m – 30 m
Vessel History & Sinking Incident
Originally constructed in Holland in 1911 as a steel galease under the name M/S Hosianna, the vessel was later acquired and registered in Egernsund, Denmark, in May 1937 as M/S Connie. Operating under skipper Matthias P. Mathiesen, the vessel carried regional cargo across the Baltic and Danish straits.
On May 31, 1940, during a voyage from Egernsund to Nykøbing Falster loaded with a cargo of ceramic drainpipes (drænrør), Connie encountered a northwesterly gale at the southern entrance of the Lillebælt channel. At around 12:30 PM, as three German naval defense vessels (Marinefartøjer) passed by, the displacement and bow waves caused water to fill the deck. The heavy deck load shifted, forcing the ship to list heavily to starboard, capsize, and sink rapidly.
Survival & Maritime Inquiry
Both crew members were successfully rescued by a passing German pilot vessel (Lodsfartøj). In the subsequent maritime inquiry (Søforklaring) held at Graasten and court proceedings in Lundtofte/Nybøl Herred, the captain was fined 80 DKK for failing to properly secure the deck load and for overloading the vessel, which was determined to be the primary cause of the capsizing. Connie was officially stricken from the maritime registry as lost on September 27, 1940.
The dive
I scanned the wreck in May 2026
Today, the wreck of the Connie rests at a depth of 29.1 to 30 meters in the Lillebælt. Preserved on the seabed, the steel hull and surrounding debris field present an excellent subject for underwater photogrammetry—capturing a snapshot of early 20th-century Danish maritime history and WWII-era coastal shipping operations.
Model
You can find the 3D files in my Shop
