Ana
Vessel Name: Ana
(Unknown names)
3 Drowned at Sea; Bodies never recovered
6 February 1903
The Geraldton Express and Murchison and Yalgo Goldfields Chronicler, Friday 6 March 1903, Page 4
Ana was a two-masted schooner built in 1890 in Fremantle for Christopher Wookey and later likely leased to Mr Sam P. Taylor of Cossack. Christopher owned the Ana and the Gwinava, both engaged in pearling in the Cossack pearl fields. Ana weighed 10 tons, and her LBD was 33 x 10 x 5 feet.
Ana carried a crew of seven. The Diver in Charge was Tenin bin Ilurr (written Tanim bin Aller in newspapers), who acted as the Skipper. The crew were a complement of Asian men:
Diver: Sentim Bin Ali
Tender: Katching
Pump Crew: Ishmael Bin Sahah, Sahib Bin Matt, Ahmat Bin Ali, Khamis, Ahmat Bin Dollah.
On 6 February 1903 Ana was stayed (bow to the wind), taking in sail due to a squall. Ana capsized near Swan Point, throwing the crew into the water, and sinking. Five of the crew survived, including the Skipper. They swam for 12 hours to reach the shore near Dampier.
The remaining two crew members drowned, and their bodies were not recovered. There does not appear to have been a search conducted for them. The newspapers reported that there were three men drowned.
Tanim reported the loss of the Ana to the Sub-Collector of Customs in Broome.