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eventREF E-0010807Revised

Event record

Disaster strikes as Portuguese ship São João sinks

ship São João

Date
8 Jun 1552
Updated
5 Jun 2020
ship São João

The Portuguese ship São João went down near the mouth of the Mzimvubu River (at the present Port St. Johns) with 600 people on board. The ship was returning from her voyage to India when she was stranded. She had left Cochin, India, on 3 February 1552 loaded with pepper, Chinese porcelain and other merchandise. 100 people were drowned and the rest of them, led by Manuel de Souza e Sepulveda, started walking northwards along the coast. The leader, his wife and most of the survivors from the wreck died on the gruelling journey. Only seven Europeans and fourteen slaves reached Mozambique.

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How we know this

  1. 01Potgieter, D.J. et al. (eds)(1970). Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town: NASOU, v. 9, p. 617; Howcroft, P. (undated). South African Encyclopaedia: prehistory to the year 2000, Unpublished papers with SA History Online.
  2. 02Maritime history, (1977), 'A list of South African shipwrecks', from South African history online, [online], Available at www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed: 9 June 2014]

Last updated · 5 Jun 2020

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Disaster strikes as Portuguese ship São João sinks. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0010807

South African History Online (2011) 'Disaster strikes as Portuguese ship São João sinks', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0010807 (Accessed: 21 July 2026).

South African History Online, Disaster strikes as Portuguese ship São João sinks [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0010807, (accessed 21 July 2026).

"Disaster strikes as Portuguese ship São João sinks." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0010807. Accessed 21 July 2026.

South African History Online. "Disaster strikes as Portuguese ship São João sinks." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0010807.

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