November 04, 2025

The Star of Bengal: Alaska's Forgotten Tragedy

1 hour 1 minute

The Star of Bengal was a three-masted steel sailing ship that met a tragic end off the coast of Alaska on September 20, 1908. While transporting over 138 cannery workers, mostly Asian immigrants, and a cargo of canned salmon from Wrangell, Alaska to San Francisco, California, the ship was caught in a fierce gale. Two accompanying tugboats were forced to release their towlines, leaving the Star of Bengal to be driven onto the rocky shore near Coronation Island. The vessel broke apart in the storm, and the frigid waters claimed the lives of more than 100 people, making it one of Alaskaâs deadliest maritime disasters.

My guest for this episode is Ronan Rooney from https://www.wrangellhistoryunlocked.com.

(Disclaimer: No monetary compensation, sponsorhip, or promotional consideration was given to Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs for Mr. Rooney's participation in this episode.)

Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes can be found at â â â â â https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.comâ â â â â .

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By Rich Napolitano

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