Eric Nordevall
On 4 June 1856, the paddle steamer Eric Nordevall left the port of Vadstena. Captain Bergström handed over the rudder to the helmsman, Eriksson, who in turn let sailor Eliasson take over with the instruction, “you can get as close as you wish to the island of Jungfrun”. Eliasson still kept a few hundred yards’ distance from the island, but that was a mistake. The paddle steamer ran aground at full speed.
The hull was launched at Hammarsten shipyard in Norrköping in August 1836 and towed to Motala. Paddle wheels and steam engines were installed there. In May 1837, Eric Nordevall was completed and later put into service on the Stockholm–Gothenburg line via the Göta Canal.
Eric Nordevall was firmly stuck after it grounded outside Jungfrun. The crew tried to get the ship loose by reversing its engine, but they failed and had to call for help.
A bit later on, two steam corvettes arrived at the scene and managed to release the ship. They began to tow it to the port for repairs, but after just a few minutes the paddle steamer took in so much water that she began to sink. The tug operators had to cut the tow rope, and the ship sank at a depth of 45 metres just east of Jungfrun.
The wreck was located in 1980 by two divers, brothers from Motala. The brothers determined that the wreck was excellently preserved.
Fairly soon after the discovery, a debate got underway about salvaging the ship. But it proved to be financially unfeasible, so a full-scale replica of Eric Nordevall was built instead.
Facts
Deep
45 metres
Build
1836-37
Length
26,5 metres
Width
6,4 metres
Shipwreck
1856
Ship type
Hjulångfartyg