(steel motor cargo vessel, built 1949)

Identification & Vessel Details

  • Name: Prins Willem V (nicknamed “The Willey”)
  • Official Number: Dutch registry
  • Built: 1949 by N.V. Scheepswerf en Machinefabriek “De Merwede”, Hardinxveld, Netherlands; originally laid down in 1940, scuttled in WWII, salvaged and completed in 1948–49 (nmssanctuaries.blob.core.windows.net, home)
  • Type: Steel motor cargo vessel (“package freighter”), 258 ft × 42 ft, 1,567 GRT (Wikipedia)

Final Incident – October 14, 1954

  • Date & Location: October 14, 1954, approximately 1.7 mi east of Milwaukee Breakwater in Lake Michigan (home)
  • Conditions: Overcast evening with moderate winds; SINCLAIR Chicago was towing SINCLAIR XII (oil Barge) (nmssanctuaries.blob.core.windows.net)
  • Collision Details: Prins Willem V failed to recognize tow configuration due to lighting misplacement. At around 19:16, it accidentally struck the tow line and then collided with the Barge, creating a 20×8 ft hole in the starboard midsection (nmssanctuaries.blob.core.windows.net)
  • Effect: The breach disabled communications and allowed uncontrolled flooding, resulting in sinking around 20:30 (Wikipedia)
  • Casualties: All 30 crew rescued safely by USCG Cutter Hollyhock—no fatalities (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)

Disposition & Legal Aftermath

  • Declared: Total constructive loss; sank in ~80 ft of water, resting on starboard side
  • Salvage Attempts: Failed efforts in 1958 and 1961; sold in 1965 for potential salvage but Abandoned (Library Asset Server, home)
  • Legal Action: Oranje Line sued Sinclair Refining for $2 million; U.S. Coast Guard inquiry found both vessel masters at fault (Wikipedia)

Wreck Condition & Dive Site

  • Current Site: Resting in ~80 ft (24 m) of water at N 43°01.539′, W 87°48.528′; Deck lies ~60 ft deep with intact superstructure (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
  • Cargo Remains: Contains televisions, printing presses, tins, machine tools, etc. (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
  • Diver Access: Designated a premier dive site with mooring buoy; popular for recreational and technical diving, though risks exist from entanglement and silt hazards (diveaai.com)

Archival Documentation

Conclusion

On October 14, 1954, the Prins Willem V, a Dutch-built cargo vessel, collided with a tow cable and oil Barge off Milwaukee under overcast skies. She sustained catastrophic Hull damage, sank in ~80 ft of water, but all 30 aboard were rescued. The wreck has remained largely intact on its starboard side, becoming one of Lake Michigan’s most-visited dive sites. Both vessel masters were deemed at fault. Despite numerous salvage attempts, the ship remains protected under the Abandoned Shipwreck Act.

Would you like access to the full Coast Guard collision report, dive surveys, legal filings, or historical news articles on this wreck?