Emergencies and World Disasters
The Day a Luxurious Ship Vanished: Koombana's Unsolved Sea Secret
26 min•18 september 2026
Om avsnittet
The Day a Luxurious Ship Vanished: Koombana's Unsolved Sea Secret
A gleaming passenger liner, 150 people, and not a single body recovered - the SS Koombana disappeared off northwestern Australia in March 1912 and the official inquiry concluded the loss "escapes human knowledge." What really happened to a ship described as "as luxurious as the Titanic" and why did search teams in 1973, 1985, 1987 and 2012 find nothing?
In this episode, we tell the story of the Koombana from her 1908 launch in Glasgow to the morning she left Port Hedland on 20 March 1912, laying out the surviving facts and the unanswered question that kept the court from a definitive verdict: what force could leave so little trace? Press play to hear which details push the mystery in two opposite directions.
Person: Captain Thomas M. Allen, age 52
Event: Departure from Port Hedland at 10:20 on 20 March 1912
People missing: 150 passengers and crew
Wreck searches: 1973, 1985, 1987, and 2012 - all unsuccessful
Inquiry verdict: "escapes human knowledge" (May 1912)
- The Koombana measured 340 feet and displaced 3,668 gross registered tons.
- Her triple-expansion steam engine was rated at 3,000 horsepower with a top speed of 14 knots.
- What washed ashore weeks later consisted of one lifeboat door, a promenade panel, two deck planks, and a handful of air tanks.
- Passenger Abraham de Vahl Davis carried a Roseate Pearl valued at 12,000 Australian pounds.
- Chief Officer Norman Jamieson had recently transferred off the SS Yongala, another ship that disappeared in 1911.
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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
A gleaming passenger liner, 150 people, and not a single body recovered - the SS Koombana disappeared off northwestern Australia in March 1912 and the official inquiry concluded the loss "escapes human knowledge." What really happened to a ship described as "as luxurious as the Titanic" and why did search teams in 1973, 1985, 1987 and 2012 find nothing?
In this episode, we tell the story of the Koombana from her 1908 launch in Glasgow to the morning she left Port Hedland on 20 March 1912, laying out the surviving facts and the unanswered question that kept the court from a definitive verdict: what force could leave so little trace? Press play to hear which details push the mystery in two opposite directions.
Person: Captain Thomas M. Allen, age 52
Event: Departure from Port Hedland at 10:20 on 20 March 1912
People missing: 150 passengers and crew
Wreck searches: 1973, 1985, 1987, and 2012 - all unsuccessful
Inquiry verdict: "escapes human knowledge" (May 1912)
- The Koombana measured 340 feet and displaced 3,668 gross registered tons.
- Her triple-expansion steam engine was rated at 3,000 horsepower with a top speed of 14 knots.
- What washed ashore weeks later consisted of one lifeboat door, a promenade panel, two deck planks, and a handful of air tanks.
- Passenger Abraham de Vahl Davis carried a Roseate Pearl valued at 12,000 Australian pounds.
- Chief Officer Norman Jamieson had recently transferred off the SS Yongala, another ship that disappeared in 1911.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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