Into Thin Air: The Kobenhavn Mystery

[@OceanlinerDesigns]

What do you think happened to København?

[@captainAlex258]

my guess is that she was in a storm

[@RandomStuffUploaded-SW]

As a dane I like the ship but I got no idear and you nailed the name

[@massimocorsaro1831]

Overturned by a lump.

[@norml.hugh-mann]

Loss of buoyancy due to water ingress What I know about officer cadets is they probably tried to drink sand

[@KPW2137]

Being hit by an iceberg sounds plausible, especially it it happened at night and during storm. She wouldn't have been the only ship to suffer such a fate.

[@carlcaspersen9332]

as a dane who has known about this ship's story for quite some time, this is the first time i have actually seen someone talk about it on youtube. Keep up the good work Mike

[@General_Dane]

Jeg har også hørt om historien, men aldrig om de “kilder”, før jeg så hans video om sømysterier, og nu denne med flere “kilder”. (I have also heard of the story, but never of the "sources" until I saw his video on maritime mysteries, and now this one with more "sources".)

[@alexlocatelli2876]

He's already talked about the ship on another video, the one about ghost shops. Excellent job here as well. 😊

[@michaelwolf9332]

Agree, fully agree. I even have a painting of it above my desk.

[@pocketwatch5149]

Jeg kan ikke være mere enig med dig

[@danishrammstein]

Helt enig, fedt endelig at se en velproduceret video omkring København's forsvinden

[@widowkeeper4739]

My dad was Danish and started working at the East Asiatic Company in 1957. He used to keep a little framed print of that oil painting of the København by Danish Artist Peder Christian Pedersen in his office. Every year at the company Christmas parties, the company would toast her and her crew with a glass of Akvavit. Thank you for continuing the tradition. I can hear my Dad's spirit saying "Skål!"

[@Joe-li3zj]

My great-grandfather was aboard the København when it went missing. My great-grandmother was pregnant with my grandfather here. Incredibly interesting to know this part of my family history. Thank you! ❤

[@soho1912]

Thank you for telling the story of "København" - my grandfarther would have approved. My Grandfather applied to be on the doomed voyage a trainee. In the end he was rejected and assigned to "Danmark" instead. Thereby he survived and went on to be a cargo skipper during WWII, surviving that too he went on to become captain on passagerships instead.

[@maccrackin7026]

🧢

[@Albiee0]

Wow what a story thx ❤❤👋

[@brentrussell780]

Sounds like a heck of a man.

[@nimueh4298]

Is fate, it wasn’t your grandfather’s time.

[@thefisherking78]

Oof

[@towgod7985]

Very respectfully done. No sensationalism to get ratings. Mainstream TV types should learn from this.

[@morandana77]

I was thinking this was only a tweak or so away from National Geographic quality.

[@patricia1333]

(Cough)HistoryChannel(cough), are you listening to this? I still recall that day I saw SWAT playing on your channel (which I hope was a prank to se how gullible we are)… I do like the NatGeo channel, they’re not half bad and they and Smithsonian are keeping true to why they exist. Mike’s documentaries really should be picked up by them, or just Mike himself, but let him decide on the format/shape of the show (as they do like some kind of template).

[@towgod7985]

@@patricia1333 Well Said.

[@abcdeshole]

It won't and doesn't need to. This is the successor medium.

[@fuktrumpanzeeskum]

Not just mainstream TV, most other KZbinrs as well.

[@nooneinparticular5273]

"The Land God Made in Anger" is, unequivocally, the coolest thing anywhere could ever be known as. I am in genuine awe of whoever came up with that name. That goes hard.

[@rickybuhl3176]

It's up there with Wadi Qelt - 'The Valley of the Shadow of Death' of the St. James Bible.

[@Arterexius]

The Iberian Coast has, if I remember correctly, also been known as The Ivory Coast, due to the age of the Ivory trade and Elephant hunting

[@martinusv7433]

​@@Arterexius Ivory Coast is an actual sovereign country in Africa (also known by the French version Cote d'Ivoire) ✌️

[@beerdrinker6452]

I was married to the Woman God Made In Anger.

[@charlieross-BRM]

The region of Canada named Labrador is called by some "the land God gave to Cain." Author Farley Mowat wrote a book with that title. That's pretty harsh.

[@carlmontney7916]

Again friend Mike, you present this story in a most factual and respectful manner. This is the exact way these fine brave seamen should be remembered. These were a special breed of sailors. And they should be honored and remembered as you have presented them here.

[@loomisgruntfuttock]

I think you mean 'seamen'; the other spelling means something different.

[@carlmontney7916]

@@loomisgruntfuttock Yes it most certainly does. damn autocorrect. I went back in and fixed it thanks for noticing.

[@elijahogden4502]

I had no idea the Kobenhavn was so advanced for her time. She looks amazing and her story is so strange. Your channel's really out done itself again. I love how you're able to utilize visual aids to help us follow along with what your talking about. A lot of youtubers can't do that and it really hurts their popularity. But you're compelling presentations are what got me into ocean liners in the first place.

[@marhawkman303]

I personally suspect that, while a nice looking ship, she had a flaw in the design. Why? it was a new design, the only one like her in the world. And no one ever built a second one. I'd love to take a look at her schematics. Then again I'd also love to take a look at schematics for one of Zheng He's treasure ships, but we know that's not gonna happen either. :D Still though, something that's otherwise a good design can fail for reasons that take more than a little study to understand.

[@1-eye-willy]

"ladies and gentleman, its Mike Brady" dude is killing it, knocking it out of the park.

[@elijahogden4502]

Ain't he just?@@1-eye-willy

[@brookswade5774]

@@marhawkman303I was thinking about that. Or if a bad squall formed suddenly before they could drop sails, I can see that ship rolling over.

[@marhawkman303]

@@brookswade5774 Yeah, perhaps. Or a certain pattern of waves maybe caused the hull to buckle... hard to say. some ships just.... when the waves got too strong.. broke. lots of possibilities

[@KPW2137]

It always struck me how the Skeleton Coast is inhospitable and cruel and one of the worst places to be. Yet in the same time, it's so beautiful and scenic.

[@OceanlinerDesigns]

Very true! It is the same with many desert - stunningly beautiful but horrifyingly dangerous!

[@Avalanche041]

Kind of the like the sea itself@@OceanlinerDesigns

[@marhawkman303]

@@OceanlinerDesigns It's strange and different in how it looks, and not familiar. I look at cases like this and always wonder if part of why so many searches were done was to figure out how/why the ship sank. Was there a hidden flaw in the design? This HAS been the case with several vessels. One ship that rolled over was eventually determined to have rolled due to the ship's center of gravity being wrong when loaded a certain way the ship just wanted to tip over.

[@TheSaneHatter]

You're right, it is. So much so, now that you mention it, that it seems to me that it would make a great filming location: those desert coasts lined with wrecks would have made Lucasfilm a great model for the planet Jakku . . . but that's straying off the subject.

[@Kaidhicksii]

Describing a desert as beautiful as a bit of an interesting choice. Nonetheless, they still have a certain kind of lure that's caught my attention since I was in elementary school.

[@bartmuller9797]

My great grandfather, who sailed around both Capes under sail talked about Kopenhagen. I was sitting in his lap looking at Gordon Grant's magnificent History of Sailing Ships at the end was an incredible pen and ink of the Kopenhagen, he pointed to the rear mast and the giant Spanker...it was to big the wind could take it and turn it over, he also talked about the icebergs he encountered sailing in the big. German barques out of Bremen ...years later l had the joy of being an assistant to the Rev. Frederick V. Jensen his grandfather was a Danish oceanliner captain ...who echoed my great grandfather... as always Mark you were magnificent...

[@AJC508]

Kobenbavn’s giant spanker. Went there once for a few days but missed out on the night life. Now I wish I had paid more attention.

[@missmeppsie3389]

​@@AJC508 could you or the original commenter here please explain to me what a giant spanker is? I'm sure it's not anything nearly as funny as I find it's name 'Giant Spanker' because that made me laugh so hard it hurts. 😂😂

[@missmeppsie3389]

Okay I looked it up and it seems it's a type of sail on a ship? Still, Giant Spanker is now my favorite name for anything, ever. Thank you both so much for teaching me something cool, new, and absolutely hilarious.

[@Angela-qr8wl]

​@missmep😂psie3389

[@lyedavide]

Excellent story. It boggles the mind how many ships have gone missing, never to be found, in just the last century alone. Sailors are truly under appreciated. The conditions they have to endure just to get the things we need to us across the world's oceans are something to be admired. RIP to all those who died in this terrible tragedy.

[@maccrackin7026]

I mean, the ocean is massive. Ships don't just "vanish" they sink. And the odds of finding them are very low

[@chesterfieldthe3rd929]

I think we need better quality sailing vessels that somehow will not sink.

[@DM-kv9kj]

@@chesterfieldthe3rd929 😂 You tell 'em! All those millions of lifelong experts in their crafts and sciences, dedicated over thousands of years to doing everything possible to make ships as safe as possible were just wasting their time. Someone should have just thought to tell them them, "We need to make better ships that can never sink!" And while we're at it we need to make it so nothing is ever dangerous ever again for anyone, and we can all just live in pillowed rooms, separated from each other to avoid conflict and pampered like babies. Oh wait, that would actually be awful.

[@chesterfieldthe3rd929]

@@DM-kv9kj feel good? 👌👏👍

[@davidhatton583]

Sadly it Still happens today… I know a lady who’s family still fishes off Luzon in the Philippines. Her father and then just last month , her cousin have both been lost at sea… never to be seen again…. And as with this magnificent ship…. The circumstances are unknown… they just vanished.

[@conors4430]

Not only do I like your respect for historical facts and as much objectivity as is possible, but you have a great respect for tragedy. Merry Christmas from a fellow Aussie

[@CapitalismSuxx]

You really made an effort to pronounce København properly and my Nordic pride is beaming with joy! God Jul alla mina danska grannar!!

[@lakrids-pibe]

I lige måde. God Jul!

[@SiViC74]

Ish lish badoing!@@felixjones9198

[@andriandrason1318]

@@felixjones9198 What now?

[@Spacecase_Apollo]

I was just about to comment that. I like to listen to cases from Nordic countries though mostly Denmark and I always cringe because of the horrible pronunciation but I really appreciate the effort to pronounce names because not everyone does so. Og i lige måde: god jul🎉

[@tommeakin1732]

To acknowledge the jackboot-wearing elephant in the room: "Nordic pride" 🤨

[@markplane4581]

This is my favorite channel bar none. I find maritime history fascinating in and of itself, but history is so much more than facts and figures. Mike's interpretation, narration, and artistic production truly bring these stories to life.

[@liberteus]

You need to watch brick immortar and big old boats . You'll love them both, brick immortar is a bit now geared towards details and his work is pro grade, while bob is focused on the great lakes and goes into so many details about the crew, it gives them life. All their episodes are dedicated to the memories of sailors .

[@markplane4581]

@liberteus I really enjoy Big Old Boats, that's a great channel, but I haven't yet watched Brick Immortar, I'll check it out today, thanks!

[@ClosedGame75]

My father worked for the danish maritime authorities for many, many years, inspecting ships for safety. He eventually became part of the danish maritime accident investigation board, where he took part in the difficult work of establishing proper cause and determining culpability when accidents had happened at sea, up to an including loss of life and ship. It has greatly affected him, emotionally, and he has seen truly monstrous and horrible things as part of this job, but needless to say, I'm practically bursting with pride at him doing that kind of incredibly important work. The loss of "København" was something he told me about when I was still just a child. How it remained a complete mystery, just as the loss of "Hans Hedtoft" was. Even though this happened before his time ... in this case before he was even born ... he felt tremendous sadness at it, and great empathy towards not only those who died, but those who were left behind, at home, without any answers, as well. This was a human tragedy of dreadful proportions. Thank you for telling this story so respectfully, sir. It is greatly appreciated.

[@MaanestensUnivers1964]

My great granddad was on that ship, bound to sail to Australia, it was a fine ship he use too tell about it, he was so hmm lucky, that he had to get to a acute emergency, and had to sign off the ship, just a day before they had to sail out to hold the time plan, so he could not manage to get back in time, so he had to sign out of his contract. But when he heard about the rumours at first and later on,when the rumours set out too bre teal, he was sure that somebody has interveine, and he Thanks God for letting him be in live. It was so good to hear that real story, because there was so many rumors, why the ship was gone. Thak you.

[@Jens-Viper-Nobel]

I believe that your great grandfathers story is even a part of the history surrounding the disappearance as he is mentioned by others who have dealt with her sinking. As far as I remember it mentioned, he came down with acute appendicitis (blindtarmsbetændelse) and had to be taken ashore since they couldn't perform the procedure on the ship, and that is how he had to see her leave without him.

[@emilpetersen3365]

As a Dane, its rare to see anyone talk about our ships. Thank you Mike for making this video.

[@andriandrason1318]

Lige bortset fra Mærsk, God Jul til Dig og Dine.

[@cruisepaige]

Ah well I’ve been to Roskilde and you’ve got some amazing old ships there!

[@TNG76]

It's crazy how you manage to get out so many high quality videos so regularly, keep up the good work 👍

[@jetsons101]

Mike, you have become a Master Storyteller. Sailing ships have always looked so elegant and graceful but required the skill of many sailors working together as a team. Again, top-notch narration and information. Merry Christmas

[@htos1av]

RIP to the great crew. Thanks for covering this piece of history.

[@michaelgrey7854]

My Grandfather who was Swedish use to be a sailor on sailing ships around Cape Horn and between Australia and New Zealand. You can go on one of his ships as it has been preserved. The James Craig. Which is at the Maritime museum in Sydney. I carry on the tradition by being a Naval Architect.

[@TheaSvendsen]

He would be proud of you. I had to look up ‘naval architect’ as I have never heard of that before - very interesting work! Must be quite demanding, though, considering how little has to be done incorrectly for the sea to triumph. I’ve seen a few documentaries about design failures in ships and the following outcome. It’s especially interesting to me that so many ships are changed during their lifetimes because they get new owners or are needed for a different purpose. There were multiple cases where these reconstructions led to the ship and crew’s demise.

[@pipfox7834]

Bellybuttons! Naval architect 😊 sorry, couldn't pass that by

[@Alladin-n5j]

My town has a street named Kobenhavn after her since she used to dock here in Port Germein

[@nialloftheninedevils]

My Grandfather served his time and worked at Ramage and Fergusson from 1914 to the mid 1920s. He installed the Marconi wireless equipment om the Kobenhavn. He told me the masts were steel and at he could not put his arms around the main mast at the top.

[@ErtaiCZ]

As a child I read a book about ships vanishing, the one about København was my favorite... but until I recently I couldn't find any videos about it. I am happy to watch any new ones =)

[@rverro8478]

I have close friends of my family and, some relatives, lost at sea. The B.F. (Bernier et frère) was one of them. It sank in may 1952, in the St-Lawrence estuary. The ship was found (by luck) while Canadian Hydrographic Service was scanning the sea floor, in 2006. Some older folks, still talk about it because, everybody knew everyone, at Les Méchins (Homeport of the B.F.)

[@emilschn7438]

As a Dane i just want to tell you that you pronounce København beautifully!

[@crazydinosaur8945]

yea.....

[@naughtiusmaximus830]

We say “haven” in the Great Lakes area. Bastardizing your language😂.

[@emilschn7438]

​@@naughtiusmaximus830we will still give you an "A" for effort 😄

[@Samm815]

Why is it pronounced differently than Copenhagen?

[@emilschn7438]

@@Samm815 København is Copenhagen in Danish

[@miapdx503]

What a beauty she was! But the ocean decides who she sends home, and who she keeps for herself. She takes life, she gives life. I have mad respect for those who put out to sea. I keep you all in my prayers, I wish you calm seas and good fortune 🌹⚓

[@johnfalstaff2270]

There is a similar story. This time with a German four masted barque Admiral Karpfanger, which was originally built for Belgian owner as l'Avenir in Bremerhaven in 1908. She vanished in March of 1938 with the whole 60 crew members. No trace of that tragedy has ever been found...

[@TimSailorman]

Some little pieces of her have been found months later. A piece of cable and a sign "Kapitän und Offiziere", which was identified as belonging to Admiral Karpfanger. What has happened is still a mister.

[@janncfl]

Thank you very much for this great video! I would like to contribute some further information: Her top speed (fully laden, under sail alone) probably will have been in the order of 15-16 knots, not just 9. Her average speed will have been around 6-7 knots, with the occasional use of the diesel in light airs. The Potosi of Hamburg (also a five-mast barque, but somewhat larger) could do 16-17 knots under favourable conditions, but did not have any means of auxiliary propulsion and therefore not a propeller which induces drag when not in operation (even if it is a feathering propeller like in Köbenhavn). The masts and yards of Köbenhavn were not made of wood, but of steel and her entire rigging is said to have weighed 242 tons in total. The usual arragement for the time and a vessel of this size was spanker gaff(s) and sometimes also the royal yards made of wood, but all other spars made of steel plates riveted together. In the case of the spike bowsprit there were usually four, in the lower masts and topmasts three angled steel profiles for further reinforcement. By the way, there were seven five-masted squareriggers, of which six were barques (France, 3784 GRT - 1890-1901; Maria Rickmers, 3822 GRT - 1891-1892 (?-posted missing); Potosi, 4027 GRT - 1895-1925; R. C. Rickmers, 5548 GRT - 1906-1917; France, 5633 GRT - 1911-1922 and Köbenhavn, 3901 GRT - 1921-1928 (?-posted missing), but one was a fullrigger - the Preussen, 5081 GRT - 1902-1910. Ballast: Köbenhavn was one of the few sailing ships that had water ballast in deep tanks but no double bottom ballast cells (the same arragement as in the barque Rickmer Rickmers, which is preserved in Hamburg, Germany), which were accessible via hatch No. 3 (out of five cargo hatches in total, she had two hatches between main and middle mast, but none between mizzen and jigger mast) and according to the book "Sail Training and Cadet Ships" by Harold A. Underhill she had 1245 tons of water (i.e. full capacity) and 700 tons of sand as ballast on her final voyage. A few plans of her are included in the book "The Last Of The Windjammers -Volume II" by Basil Lubbock. My guess regarding the circumstances of her loss is that she probably struck ice while running down eastern longitude before the wind in the southern ocean - possibly in heavy weather and/or at night - and sprung aleak. Ice had been reported in the southern ocean by other vessels. Due to the almost empty cargo holds, the inrush of water would most likely have been both intense and quick. Her compartmentation was still basic and apart from the collision, engine room and after peak bulkhead and her deep tank(s) I have been unable to find further watertight bulkheads on the plans. A severe leak in the forepeak and/or forward hold would have pushed her bow down, raising the rudder more or less completely out of the water, making it useless and the ship uncontrollable (Potosi at least once became almost unmanageable in ballast and high seas due to this effect and this already without a leak). Broaching to would have been unavoidable and she would have capsized, her hatches stove in and sunk. The entire process would have taken only a few minutes, therefore too quick for the wireless to be of any help. In spite of this sad story Merry Christmas to everyone!

[@TheaSvendsen]

Thank you so much for the insight! Very interesting and I hope that Mike reads it too. The last part of your comment is what always stays with me when I think about these accidents at sea; it happens so fast that it can easily be mere minutes.

[@janncfl]

@@TheaSvendsen Thank you for your feedback and a happy and healthy new year to you!

[@caroleminke6116]

Just had a slight taste of that idea on a tour boat that I work on as a first mate/guide. The concession that runs it for the state park didn’t get the CG inspection so we were put on two smaller boats. Very experienced captain & I were first on the river leading to the Gulf but behind us someone new to the area though well trained. Too many people were fore & we caught wake then the bow went underneath, not just a bow wave breaking over us. Scary situation I moved act so fast I had no time but to act & called my passengers to follow me. Stabilized boat but Captain was shaken. No crab pot or other explanation was given. Second boat saw my sudden movement as boat lurched & though going down too that captain managed to get them all back quickly… wet feet in a cold winter day was nothing to what we had avoided. No doubt it was going to flip fast as the speed plowed us under that salt water. Split seconds

[@dfuher968]

Mike, what a magnificent video! Several months ago, u made a video of a handful of maritime mysteries. I commented on that great video and suggested 2 others for u to look at, 1 of them being "København", my countrys greatest maritime mystery. A month or 2 later u made another video with another handful of maritime mysteries incl. "København". I dont know, if it was by my suggestion, or if u already had it planned, but it was a real treat! I never expected, that u would return to "København" and give her the full Mike Brady treatment in a ½ hour video, but its the best Christmas present, I could imagine. Thank you so much ❤❤ Fun fact: A replacement for "København" was built and christened "Danmark" in 1932, tho smaller with only 3 masts. She is owned by the Danish state and still sets sail every year for a training cruise. As does the privately owned training ship "Georg Stage", built, owned and operated by the Georg Stage Memorial Foundation, which was built in 1934, also 3 masts. Both have ofc been upgraded with modern safety equipment, but in large part it is still the same training onboard as 90 years ago, when they were built. They still learn to tie the various knots, tho they have gps, they learn to navigate without it, they have washers and dryers, but they also learn to wash their clothes in sea water etc. I had the pleasure of seeing "Danmark" set out on a cruise many years ago, b4 I ever heard of "København", and I still remember, how beautiful "Danmark" is in her own right, and yet she seems like a faint echo compared to the magnificent "København".

[@siggesaltens2663]

THE DANMARK HAS BEEN UNDERRIGGED FOR SAFETY REASONS.

[@Phaaschh]

Yet again, an absolutely riveting story, and truly one for the ages- so many young lives, vanished from the face of the earth, with no memorial to mark their passing. "For Smith, our brother, Only son of loving mother, The ocean lifted, stirred, Leaving no word"

[@hansmarheim7620]

Fascinating story. I have been living in Denmark for almost twenty years and have never heard about this before. Great ship, great video!

[@noahwail2444]

Very well done, as usual. As a kid, my father (sea captain) told me the story, and having been in the Danish merciant navy myselves, this story hits home. And your pronaunciation of København is spot on!

[@ctg6734]

Excellent presentation. Your channel is one of the few real gems on KZbin these days. Quality content like this is a welcome addition to my library.

[@captlurch]

Nicely done. You mentions wooden masts, however, she had riveted steel (or iron) masts. Some, if not all, her yards were of riveted construction as well. Her plans are available in the Lloyd’s archive online.

[@DragonBornish]

Each mast consists of several pieces. The lower masts and yards, where strength is preferred, were probably made of steel. The uppers, where flexibility and low weight were preferred, were made of wood. I trained on "København"s successor "Danmark" for four months.

[@agentmueller]

@@DragonBornishunrelated, but it always makes me laugh how danish (besides the crazy occasional letters) is so close to English but always spelled in a funny yet understandable way.

[@DragonBornish]

@@agentmueller you can thank the Vikings for that 😉

[@itzfreya55]

it’s always a good day when you upload Mike!! thank you for such brilliant content, really been loving the videos recently!! ❤️

[@OceanlinerDesigns]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@johnfalstaff2270]

Freya, replace your photo with the one with smile. In Norse mythology, Freyja (Old Norse "(the) Lady") is a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, sex, war and gold.

[@peterhaslund]

A proud seafaring nation, these maritime disasters are never mentioned in Denmark. The SS Norge catastrophe of 1904, precursor of the Titanic. The København disappearing almost without a trace. Black holes in our collective memory. Testaments to the power of suppression.

[@McLarenMercedes]

"Black holes in our collective memory. Testaments to the power of suppression." What utter nonsense. This is esoteric knowledge which hardly made a dent in the minds of the public at the time and is *far* from important or pivotal events of history. "Black holes in our collective memory." Tell me, are you remotely in touch with humanity and its general traits?? I'll inform you of something you clearly fail to grasp. Certain events are only remembered by those who lived at the time. Generations born later obviously don't remember such things and can't relate to them for this reason. Those disasters you bring up were a century ago! The Great Depression was a seriously difficult event which affected many *millions* of people worldwide. Banks crashed, people lost all their savings, world trade ground down to a complete stop. And in Germany all American loans were rescinded. See what this set in motion? Add to the fact the German economy was highly dependent on trade, millions lost their jobs and it's little surprising people began listening to that previously rather obscure figure from Austria. *How many remember The Great Depression today?* Those who lived through it are virtually all dead today. Their kids may have heard stories while growing up but the grandkids who grew up decades later?? Not part of their collective memory. It's taught in schools but 95% forget what they learn at school. Most people only concern themselves with their own present, their own life and whatever they watch/stream on tv. Back in 2012 there were Tweets saying things like:"What, they said the Titanic sank 100 years ago? I thought it was just a movie." Perfect example of the widespread ignorance. Never mind the Titanic. The MV Joola sank in 2002 killing an estimate 1800 people. *More* than had perished on the Titanic. Do you think this sinking made headlines around the world. How many people aware of it? In 1987 the Doña Paz sank in a collision with another ship killing roughly 4400 people. Three times as many as those killed on the Titanic. But do you think the public is familiar with it?? They're not. Ignorance, lack of scope, inability to both relate to or even perceive something which doesn't affect them directly. That's the collective of mind of the public. Tragic but true. What "collective memory" are you talking about??

[@theziyashow]

We all appreciate how much time you spent making amazing videos for us. I thank you so much.

[@theziyashow]

An inspiring comment 😢.

[@indridcold8433]

I think we can all agree Mike Brady is just about due for a feature length creation for his fans. The quality and content, of his videos, are impeccable!

[@aquilarossa5191]

I'd be surprised if it was ice at 40 degrees south. I worked in the Southern Ocean for over 12 years often past 50 degrees south. The ship would be at sea over 90% of each year. The most common spot we were at was between 49 and 50 degrees south near the Auckland Islands over 400 km south of NZ (about 250 nm). We had very good radar etc. No icebergs down there. However, in my second to last year at sea we saw icebergs much further north at 44 degrees south. It was off the east coast of NZ's south island during the late 2000s. If I remember correctly a large ice sheet had broken off Antarctica sending a swarm of them north. The only time we ever had iceberg watches. It hitting ice is not impossible between 40 and 50 degrees south, but extremely rare, i.e., once every few decades or so. Perhaps they went past 50 degrees where the likelihood increases? My money would be on a storm. The wave heights and winds can get crazy high, e.g., Well over 20 meters and a steady 100 knots gusting even higher. We would face weather like that several times per year. We were only 75 meters length, but had lots of beam and were very stable, so the ship coped. In those conditions we did what is called dodging. Every hatch and porthole dogged tight, anything that can move lashed down, and the captain just punches into the waves for a day or two until it passes. Fun at first, but the novelty wears off. Bad weather is far more tiring than 84 hours per week of hard work. P.S. Ice conditions might be a bit different south of Argentina, because the Antarctic Peninsular extends quite far north from there, which could result in more ice, although people I know who have worked there never mentioned it.

[@rthompsonmdog]

Great work on this!

[@jeffrigby189]

The subject of the Kobenhavn's disappearance has always been an interesting one. A huge number of sailing ships in the latter days of sail were lost, very many without trace. Even at the very end of sail after WW1, very few carried radio and having big, un-subdivided cargo carrying hulls they were very vulnerable if their cargoes shifted or if the sea broached the hatch covers. Between 1919 and 1929 when the Kobenhavn was lost about 65 square rigged ships were lost, some without trace. Still, with her watertight compartments and radio equipment, the Kobenhavn's disappearance is much harder to explain, even if she was in ballast. According to Harold Underhill, in his book "Sail Training and Cadet ships", she carried 1245 tons of water ballast in tanks and left for Adelaide with an additional 700 tons of sand ballast as there was was some thought that she was a bit tender with only her water ballast. We will never know, but a very sudden, catastrophic accident seems to be the answer. Underhill suggests a Pampero off the coast of South America, may have thrown her on her beam ends shifting the sand ballast but, more probably it was a collision with ice which , if she was sailing quickly at 14-15 knots, would indeed be catastrophic. Thanks for an interesting topic.

[@LarsPallesen]

I'm a Dane and I have never heard of this incident until now! Thank you for retelling this story. The København seems to have been an awesome ship. So tragic that she was lost. PS: You did a good job with the pronunciation of "København".

[@SingerDinger]

Absolute bombardment of uploads and I couldn’t be happier. These are candy to listen to at work

[@darrellbedford4857]

Another great story. I enjoy your stories as they are historical and entertaining. I like the fact that you don't use generic photos or videos in your presentations but use animation done by your own company. Keep them coming. Since you talk about sailing ships I would like to see you do a video on the various types of ships and the mast types.

[@kwd3109]

Very compelling story, well written and told. Plus, I love a good mystery albeit a tragic one.

[@virtos8489]

I'm on a OLD binge right now. Love it!❤

[@Boneworm852]

I've never heard of this case, thank you so much for covering it and sharing with us!

[@voyaristika5673]

I don't have a particular interest in ships but your videos get me SO interested. You are one of the rare producers who can do this. I've watched several of your videos. They really are superior to just about everything on mainstream tv. I appreciate it!

[@hughmcaloon6506]

Mike Brady: Master storyteller. Yet another fantastic production, sir!

[@Ciotat1895]

A highly informative account of the loss of the København/Copenhagen. We will probably never know where she sank with such a terrible loss of life. She was launched in 1921 at Ramage & Ferguson's yard at Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. Sailing in the south Atlantic was a dangerous business. My wife's great great uncle John McWhir, from northern Ireland, sailed two of the iron windjammers, built by Ramage & Ferguson ,in the 1880s: The Highland Forest ( on which Joseph Conrad served as First Mate on one passage out to Indonesia) and the Highland Home, which sank off Milford Haven, Wales, in the 1890's, some of who's crew, were Scandinavian. The Highland Forest eventually came to grief off Freemantle, Australia, in about 1900.

[@Lasuvidaboy-jp4xe]

Fantastic video, Mike. A story on the ill-fated cargo-passenger ship Hans Hedhoft lost on her maiden voyage in 1959 would also make for an interesting video.

[@anderspedersen7488]

*Hedtoft

[@harridan.]

your videos are extremely impressive. low key, concise, always informative and entertaining

[@IntrepidMilo]

Thank you for sharing the story of the København and her crew. Some of the largest icebergs in the world come from the Antarctic. I would like to believe that whatever happened to those men, it was quick and that they did not suffer.

[@DaystromDataConcepts]

Another superbly researched and produced video, so poignantly delivered.

[@patriciajrs46]

She looks seriously top heavy. A very creepy story. Thank you for letting us know about the Danish Navy. The tale about this ship in particular is very appreciated.

[@jimmypetrock]

Enjoyable and daily? Who is this amazing man?

[@ErichRand]

He is Mike Brady and he is by far the best maritime person to learn stuff about ships like the Britannic.

[@ImplodedAtom]

He's your friend, Mike Brady. 😊

[@ailsasublett9885]

He is our friend, Mike Brady.

[@thomasolsen9124]

Thank you for this documenary. As a former Danish sailor cadet serving on another tallship, the 3 mast full rigged 77m Danmark, build in 1932, we all knew the myth. Lost at sea without a trace. But I still remember thinking of them and speak about København, when crossing the atlanic in high seas, with waves breaking over the deck as a routine, and everything closed airtight. I never heard of the bones found, that was new to me. May they rest in peace.

[@Echo2-2]

I have never heard of this ship before, so this was very fascinating

[@Kaidhicksii]

Well this was certainly an interesting choice of holiday video to watch in advance of my 21st birthday tomorrow and Christmas the day after. I've been on sailing ships before. They are absolutely majestic beasts, and I harbor a great deal of respect for the men who've sailed them. But it's stories like these that remind me that, if faced with the choice of joining a large ship with sails or an even larger ship with engines (steam, diesel, nuclear, whatever) for an extended period of time over a stretch of ocean, 99.999999% of the time, I'm sticking with the powered vessel. I'm not too thrilled by the idea of the ship I'm on quite literally being at the mercy of the elements because it's powered by the elements. May the crew of the Kobenhavn, wherever they are, rest in peace. Merry Christmas in advance.

[@stephengrimmer35]

Having worked on the Skeleton Coast, this story resonates. Mike, your productions just get better and better. This surpasses History Channel quality 👍. Happy Christmas to you and all at OLD.

[@cedarledgepublishing]

I first heard about this vanishing in a book in a chapter entitled "The Disquieting Fate of training ships" I want to recommend the entire book and all others written by this author. It's called SHIPS THAT DID NOT RETURN by Robert De La Croix. It and his other books are long out of print but can be found. If you love maritime tales I would argue that De La Croix is the finest author ever to put pen to paper in this genre. Highly recommend!

[@wheelswheels9199]

Well produced. While I enjoy the Titanic stories, I am so glad you cover other ocean going stories.

[@Romanticeraregalia]

The production quality of this video is amazing! Also love this style of video

[@dtzchar]

This channel just keeps getting better and better. Keep up the good work Mike. Have yourself a wonderful Christmas as well.

[@sonjakromann3381]

Thank you for this interesting video on the København. I was familiar with this story from my Dad, who was a Dane born in Argentina. He loved sailing ships and we were able to visit my cousin Søren when he served on the crew of the tall training ship Danmark in 1977.

[@insovietrussiavodka]

On behalf of my country and language, I thank you for, as a matter of fact, calling her by her name and even pronouncing it well.

[@wensday8784]

Again, another fantasic, informative and sensitive piece by the Oceanliner Designs team. Thank you and all the best for 2024!

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

A great and sad story well-told Mike! Thanks for telling it! And a Merry Christmas to you and yours!

[@BelleBlu]

A very sad tale made all the more tragic by the youth of the sailors. Well researched & well told. No one with an affinity with the sea & ships would make mirth at such an event. Some of the comments are shameful. Thank you Mr Braidy for bringing the Kobenhavn to my attention. One missing from my library.

[@SeanMcGuire92]

As an American, I’ve never heard of this ship, but it is absolutely WILD to me that the bones found on the Skeleton Coast have been lost and likely destroyed! You’d think they would have been buried.

[@michaelleduc5328]

You captivated my interest, that is why I subscribed. I'm 61 years of age, so very critical, of what I watch. Let's hope you continue, to provide, good info, as you have. I'm sure there's, more sea, revelations like your doing. Good work.

[@Techformative557]

Another solid documentary from OD. Never heard of this ship before until now.

[@alan-ug7rs]

Very fine history. I think the tragedy is fairly well known to ship disaster nerds. However, you provide some excellent background that was all new information to me. This is an excellent tribute to an ocean trader pioneer and the cadets who built the Norwegian seagoing tradition.

[@jooei2810]

I am totally calling you, the best channel in KZbin!

[@OceanlinerDesigns]

Strong review, thankyou!

[@Jonoes292]

What an awesome tale! So well researched and told without any sensationalism. A movie about this story could rival the Titanic! Thanks Mike. Superb effort.

[@b-rextheprgoddess1872]

Wonderful video as usual, Mike. Thank you for your hard work.

[@thesteelrodent1796]

An interesting part of København's history, is that she was originally ordered in 1913 and the hull was completed in 1915, but due to WW1 the ship was never finished. The hull was dragged to Gibraltar, renamed to "Black Dragon", and used as coal depot. After the conclusion of WW1, a new hull was built according to the original plans and the ship was finally completed on 24 March 1921. According to Danish sources on København's disappearance, it is believed her massive rigging caused her to capsize in a storm, and thus sink in open sea. Also, København's masts were made of steel, so they could withstand incredible wind without breaking, which further supports the theory that she was turned over by strong winds. There is generally nothing to indicate that she may have encountered an iceberg, since no other ships in the area reported rogue icebergs at the time. Because her rigging was blamed, her successor, SS Danmark, was built with a smaller rigging (3 masts and 1/3 the sail area) and more steel reinforcement in the hull. SS Danmark went into the water in 1933 and has had a fairly uneventful career since, still sailing the world's oceans while she trains new wannabe sailors.

[@sirepaulos]

this is probably the saddest story so far, those poor kids & what a beautiful ship

[@chuckbrasch4575]

Amazing video! It makes me think of my fathers ship, L'Avenir.. She was a four masted Barque. She was a training ship from Belguim. My father sailed on her as a maritime cadet. L'Avenir was built in 1908 (I think). She dissappeared in 1938 hauling grain from Australia. Such is sad losses of beautiful sailing vessels.....their crews Rest In Peace.....

[@angellight495]

Hey. Idea for a video series. Most people tend to think of ocean liners as these super luxurious vessels with all of these amazing appointments. And while the richness of appointments of ships like the Mauretania, Olympic, and the like cannot be denied they were definitely lacking in what many of us today would consider basic comforts like private bathrooms for instance. I would love to see you do a series on the evolution of 1st, 2nd, & 3rd classes showing how the standards in the classes changed over the decades in terms of both luxury, comfort, and the type of passenger they carried and what those passengers expected.

[@trevorn9381]

Most first class cabins on the Titanic actually had shared bathrooms like a college dormitory. It was only the luxurious 1st class suites inhabited by ultra wealthy people like J.J. Astor that had private bathrooms.

[@angellight495]

@@trevorn9381 I already said that.

[@gaemlinsidoharthi]

Such a beautiful ship. Thank you for the wonderful video. Such high quality. So well presented.

[@maxsredditreadingclub8353]

Omg im early hi mike i love your videos so much im so happy i found your channel also RIP To All Those Lost 🕊🕊🕊🕊

[@joenke9]

I don't remember if you have made a video about Hans Hedtoft, a ship that vanished too. that ship sank somewhere south of Greenland, carrying passengers and a cargo of documents from the archives in Greenland. and do not forget Jutlandia the hospitalship from the Korean wars, she was also a "ØK" ship.

[@Jens-Viper-Nobel]

@joenke9 Mike has indeed made a very thorough line on Hans Hedtoft as per his usual deep and detailed investigation of all the vessels and events he dive into. In fact, his is the most comprehensive coverage of that ship from building type to former history to the last signal received.

[@DrivermanO]

An excellent video, as are all the one sof yours I have seen. I am now a subscriber. But could I point out to you that your map at 21 minutes shows the Skeleton Coast in completely the wrong place! You have shown it North of The Congo, running past Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast and almost up to Senegal, i.e. West Africa. It is in fact on the South West African coast, mainly in Namibia, which is next door to the Republic of South Africa.

[@chauvettes]

Product, presentation, and personality can be summed up in one word: class. Proud to be your friend Mike Brady!

[@carloshortas2155]

if the ship was loaded with weight ( sand) wouldn't it become unbalanced if the ship was in a storm due to rain and sea water entering the ship and getting the sand wet? Also you can never rule out a rouge wave. Considering the damage one can do to a modern ship what chance would a ship like the Kobenhavn have.

[@SlysGames]

i imagine the sand would have been stored in barrels or crates to simulate regular cargo rather then being lose in the cargo hold. Otherwise those poor trainees would have had to shove it all out once the ship did pick up more cargo.

[@carloshortas2155]

@@SlysGames that would make a lot more sense compared to what I was thinking

[@festungkurland9804]

yup if there was moisture or water in the sand it could "liquify" in bad weather. That has caused sinkings in modern ships.

[@michaelimbesi2314]

That’s one of the things that is often missed when discussing the transition from sail to steam: steamships were a lot safer than sailing ships. Sailing ships might be more elegant and graceful, but they’re much more exposed to the effects of the weather and their ability to maneuver is heavily restricted by the direction of the wind and the need to trim the sails. IIRC: a sailing vessel stood something like a 1/200 chance of not returning when it left port. For an early steamship, the number was closer to 1/1000, and insurance companies took note. The reason that sailing ships made such good training ships is that they’re a lot less forgiving than steamships. To navigate one well, you have to be a very good sailor and be well aware of the effects of wind and tide, and training on one therefore forces the cadets to become better sailors. However, it also means that if a sailing ship gets into trouble, there’s a lot less margin for error.

[@stevenkarnisky411]

The Danes have stuck to the training ship tradition. The Danmaark, a three masted, steel hull cadet training ship was in the Atlantic when Denmark was overrun by the Nazis. Rather than submit to the Nazis, her captain sailed her up the Potomac River and surrendered her to a Washington police officer! She was used during WWII as a Coast Guard training ship, in Long Island Sound. My father actually spent a few weeks aboard while udergoing officer training. She was re-patriated post-war and is still a training ship. She was the inspiration for the U.S. Coast Guard to obtain and use the tall ship Eagle as a training vessel. Whenever there is a tall ship gathering in an American port, the Eagle leads the way, and the Danmaark is honored by being placed second!

[@kristelbrok998]

Minor note; it's written Danmark, like the country (with one a in 'mark') 😊

[@kurtdunbar912]

Today, I finished Derek Lundy's, "The Way of a Ship." Excellent reading for those interested in square-rigged barques in the twilight years of sail and the rounding of the Horn.

[@RandomStuffUploaded-SW]

As a dane i can say you nailed København

[@AllBreaksLoose]

This is why I love this channel. Great history and stories...

[@judybassett9390]

Enjoyed this video.

[@OceanlinerDesigns]

Thanks Judy, glad you liked it!

[@SEPK09]

Great Work this year Mike, from a grateful listeners all around the world have a great Christmas, from the UK.

[@yoptastic8463]

Thank you Captain Mike, a truly mysterious video, even though I do enjoy a good Maritime History mystery I can't help but feel sad for the missing crew members and their families. Merry Solstice to you and yours, hope it's a good one for you and Merry Solstice to all that frequently enjoy watching Oceanliner Designs. 😊👍❤⚓🚢🌊☃⛄🎄🎄✨🎈🎊🎁🌟🍻🥂🦃🍄?

[@mikaelbertelsen8063]

Hi Mike Thank you for a real video and story about the school ship Copenhagen. Contributing to the story of the sinking of "København" is that the Danish state decided to build a training ship itself which was named "Danmark". It was handed over from Nakskov Shipyard in 1933. She still sails as a training ship here 90 years later. During the second world war she sailed with cadets for the American navy, which after the war gave her an order. She is the only foreign ship to have received this order. Training ship "Danmark" is about 20% below the rigging of a ship of that size. It became so because it was believed at the time that "København" had gone because of its big sail area Another thing is that Nakskov Shipyard was owned by EAC. Just a little more about the history of training ship "København"

[@kenrickman6697]

This reminds me of a question I’ve had for a while, which I’d love to see you address some time. What was the last commercial or military vessel to use sails as regular propulsion? So many of the early steamers and warships had masts, but were they ever used? At what point did they simply stop altogether?

[@marinareilly-collette2490]

On 3 October, 1890, HMS Temeraire, "The Great Brig", a rigged ironclad barbette ship built in 1876, worked into Suda Bay, Crete, under sail power alone. She was the last rigged ship carrying sail in the Royal Navy, and that was the last time it was used operationally for routine navigational purposes in the Royal Navy. Commercial vessels have never stopped using sails entirely; a port in the 1960s or 1970s in Arabia or Asia would show dozens of small sailing fishing boats, and these days have seen some old schooners used again as a "green" measure to transport high value non-spoiling cargoes like wine. Large commercial vessels in the western tradition in an unbroken lineage carrying cargo solely to carry cargo, without training cadets aboard and with no auxiliary engine, was the Pamir in 1949.

[@rvx5818]

I am a new fan of your channel and I’ve gotta say, you have a knack for storytelling! You have a nice voice to listen to and I like how much research you put into each topic! Keep up the good work! 🙏🏼❤️❤️

[@virtos8489]

Hey Mike, have you ever thought about doing a blueprint like style drawing? There are many of these of Titanic but there are none of the Vaterland, Normandie etc. Maybe that's a market gap?

[@PaulB-17]

What a magnificent looking vessel. I would call it art. Such a sad story the loss of all those young men. Well done Mike and team, thoroughly enjoyed.