4 December 1948 - SS Kiangya (Jiangya) at least 2,750 souls lost #maritimehistory #OTD

SS Kiangya or Jiangya (Chinese: t 江亞輪, s 江亚轮, p Jiāngyà Lún) was a Chinese passenger steamship that was destroyed in an explosion near the mouth of the Huangpu River 50 miles (80 km) north of Shanghai on 3 or 4 December 1948.

At the time of her explosion during the Chinese Civil War, she was bound for Ningpo from Shanghai's Shiliupu Dock. She was packed with refugees fleeing the advancing Communists. She probably hit a mine, possibly laid by the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second World War.

The exact death toll is unknown. Although her official capacity was 1,186 passengers, the manifest listed 2,150 and she was almost certainly carrying many additional stowaways. Rescuers were unaware of the disaster for some hours. It is thought that between 2,750 and 3,920 died, with 700 survivors being picked up by other vessels.

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