Between the 1850s and 1950s, 3.5 million Italians would emigrate to Argentina, with millions more starting new lives in the U.S., Brazil, Uruguay, Australia, Canada, France, the U.K. and elsewhere.

These mass migrations, known as Italian diasporas, were set in motion by famine, wars, natural disasters, overpopulation, disease, poverty, and an economically suffocating agriculture industry.

The majority of these poor Italian immigrants would embark on lumbering and arduous voyages; however, for some, disaster would strike at the onset of their westward journeys.

In the early morning hours of November 24, 1880, the SS Oncle-Joseph — a French steamship bound for South America’s River Plate — was sunk near the mouth of the Gulf of Spezia when it was struck through its hull by another steamer, the SS Ortigia. The rapid sinking in pitch black waters left little time for escape and 250 Italian immigrants, asleep below deck, would never be seen again, according to The Mercury.

An investigation was launched but the collision was ruled an accident, due to navigational miscues in rough waters.

Disaster Strikes Twice

Fifteen years later, on July 21, 1895, in a nearly identical set of events, the Ortigia would slam into the hull of another steamer, the SS Maria P., killing 148 people (the majority of whom were Italian immigrants bound for the River Plate), according to The New York Times.

The collision occurred in roughly the same location in the Gulf of Spezia, at 1:30 a.m., triggering a second rapid sinking and an indescribably chaotic scene.

And, as before, the Ortigia’s crew was found not to be at fault.

This would not be the last catastrophe for Italy’s immigrants while at sea.

Continue reading: The Sinking of the Andrea Doria