The Nord-América was an Italian passenger and cargo ship with a length of 128 m. Three identical ships were built: Sud América, Europa, and Espresso. It set world speed records from Italy to Brazil, Italy to Uruguay, and Italy to Argentina, records that it held for more than 20 years. After its launch, it began a regular route from Genoa to Gibraltar, Cadiz, San Vicente, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires on April 10, 1873.
It sank off the coast of Fuera on January 3, 1883, on its voyage from America to Italy. It was carrying 100 passengers and 68 crew members under the command of Captain Enrico Carlo Barabino. It ran aground on this underwater mountain, just as the ‘Sirio’ would do 26 years later, but with one major difference: all of its passengers, except for an elderly woman who died of natural causes, were saved.
The Nord-América remained with its bridge above the dry land, protruding and stranded for nearly two weeks, in full view of the nearby Isla de la Hormiga. Fortunately, this time the tragedy did not result in any loss of life; it was not the same as with the Sirio. Here, there was a crew, with their captain in command, who dealt with the situation without causing panic among the passengers.
On the other hand, we find the S.S. Primo, an Italian steamship 103.8 m long and 14.1 m wide, sunk on December 17, 1916, near Hormiga Island while sailing from Philadelphia to Genoa. The wreck lies in the northeast area on the southeast side of Bajo de Fuera, a few meters northeast of the bow of the Sirio, between -45 and -70 m. In this wreck, which has traditionally been associated with the Nord América, the bow is located, destroyed by the shoal and resting on its port side. Behind the boiler room, in the stern area, there is a spectacular cannon at -64 m, which has been the key to identifying the S.S. Primo.
Therefore, it is believed that the remains of the Nord América are scattered and unrecognizable in the southwestern part of the northwestern side of the Bajo, known as “La Chatarra.”
Por lo tanto, se cree que los restos del Nord América se encuentran dispersos e irreconocibles en la parte suroeste del lado noroeste del Bajo, conocida como «La Chatarra».
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