Emergencies and World Disasters
The Vanishing of the Koombana: 150 Souls, No Trace, No Answer
22 min•17 september 2026
Om avsnittet
The Vanishing of the Koombana: 150 Souls, No Trace, No Answer
A century-old disappearance that still chills: on the morning of 20 March 1912 the SS Koombana sailed with a falling barometer and 150 people aboard, and not one was ever seen again - the wreck has never been found. What sequence of groundings, fires, disputes and a priceless pearl preceded the ship’s last voyage, and how did a vessel described as “the finest passenger ship on the Western Australian coast” simply vanish without trace?
In this episode, we recount the facts of the Koombana’s final voyage, the ship’s construction and fittings, the biographies and incidents that shadowed her officers and passengers, and the official court finding that her fate “passes beyond human knowledge.” What unresolved threads - from a captain’s past manslaughter conviction to a pearl said to have cursed seven owners - might explain what happened?
Person: Captain Thomas Allen
Date: 20 March 1912
Location: Port Hedland departure, Western Australian coastal run
Event: Disappearance of SS Koombana with 150 people aboard
Ship: SS Koombana, 3,668 gross tons, 341 feet, launched 27 October 1908
- 150 people were aboard: 76 passengers and 74 crew on the Koombana’s final voyage.
- The Koombana’s dining saloon seated 75 and every cabin had electric fans in 1908.
- The ship’s hull length was 341 feet and her engines pushed her to 14 knots.
- Abraham de Vahl Davis boarded at Port Hedland carrying the Roseate Pearl valued at £12,000.
- Yard number 429: Koombana was built at Alexander Stephen and Sons, Linthouse, launched 27 October 1908.
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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 century-old disappearance that still chills: on the morning of 20 March 1912 the SS Koombana sailed with a falling barometer and 150 people aboard, and not one was ever seen again - the wreck has never been found. What sequence of groundings, fires, disputes and a priceless pearl preceded the ship’s last voyage, and how did a vessel described as “the finest passenger ship on the Western Australian coast” simply vanish without trace?
In this episode, we recount the facts of the Koombana’s final voyage, the ship’s construction and fittings, the biographies and incidents that shadowed her officers and passengers, and the official court finding that her fate “passes beyond human knowledge.” What unresolved threads - from a captain’s past manslaughter conviction to a pearl said to have cursed seven owners - might explain what happened?
Person: Captain Thomas Allen
Date: 20 March 1912
Location: Port Hedland departure, Western Australian coastal run
Event: Disappearance of SS Koombana with 150 people aboard
Ship: SS Koombana, 3,668 gross tons, 341 feet, launched 27 October 1908
- 150 people were aboard: 76 passengers and 74 crew on the Koombana’s final voyage.
- The Koombana’s dining saloon seated 75 and every cabin had electric fans in 1908.
- The ship’s hull length was 341 feet and her engines pushed her to 14 knots.
- Abraham de Vahl Davis boarded at Port Hedland carrying the Roseate Pearl valued at £12,000.
- Yard number 429: Koombana was built at Alexander Stephen and Sons, Linthouse, launched 27 October 1908.
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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