Merica - Lanegev
"Lanegev" sailed from Sete port in France on January 18th 1947, with 647 immigrants on board.
"Lanegev" Haapala ship (named after the settlement orientation in the Negev area) was prepared to depart for Israel from Marseille port in France. The ship had been previously owned by a Greek who dealt in smuggling. The ship commander was Palyam member Ephraim Tauman (Talmon.) The 'Gidoni' was Reuven Arnon. An additional escort was Palyam member Moshe (Saylor) Dafni.
"Lanegev" sailed from Sete port in France on January 18th 1947, with 647 immigrants on board. On the first night of the voyage, water penetrated the ship and the pumps failed. The failure was fixed but the bad weather and stormy sea burdened the advancement of the ship. "Lanegev" was scheduled to reach Nizanim shore, but at about 90km from the destination, it was given order to turn towards Caesarea due to the waves. Two British destroyers spotted the ship on February 8th, about 19km from Caesarea. British soldiers with clubs and gas masks boarded the ship, and a half an hour scuffle ensued. The immigrants threw cans at the soldiers, and a fire shot during the scuffle killed the immigrant, Herbert Lazar (25.) Four other immigrants were injured. The immigrants were transferred onto the "Empire Haywood" deportation ship, and were taken to a detention camp in Cyprus. The escorts joined them.
Parallel to the capture of "Lanegev," British military forces took the nearby kibbutz Sdot-Yam under siege. Back at the kibbutz, Palmach members were waiting with David Nameri, the officer in charge of disembarking the immigrants on behalf of 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet.' A few hours later, the British freed the kibbutz form the siege and avoided conducting a search there. However, they did capture a boat with Palyam members disguised as innocent fishermen.
In Herbert Lazar's obituary, which was published prior to the learning of his name, he was named: "Hamapil Haalmony" [the unknown illegal immigrant.] The name was given to the Haapala ship that arrived in Israel on February 17th 1947.
"Lanegev" sailed from Sete port in France on January 18th 1947, with 647 immigrants on board. On the first night of the voyage, water penetrated the ship and the pumps failed. The failure was fixed but the bad weather and stormy sea burdened the advancement of the ship. "Lanegev" was scheduled to reach Nizanim shore, but at about 90km from the destination, it was given order to turn towards Caesarea due to the waves. Two British destroyers spotted the ship on February 8th, about 19km from Caesarea. British soldiers with clubs and gas masks boarded the ship, and a half an hour scuffle ensued. The immigrants threw cans at the soldiers, and a fire shot during the scuffle killed the immigrant, Herbert Lazar (25.) Four other immigrants were injured. The immigrants were transferred onto the "Empire Haywood" deportation ship, and were taken to a detention camp in Cyprus. The escorts joined them.
Parallel to the capture of "Lanegev," British military forces took the nearby kibbutz Sdot-Yam under siege. Back at the kibbutz, Palmach members were waiting with David Nameri, the officer in charge of disembarking the immigrants on behalf of 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet.' A few hours later, the British freed the kibbutz form the siege and avoided conducting a search there. However, they did capture a boat with Palyam members disguised as innocent fishermen.
In Herbert Lazar's obituary, which was published prior to the learning of his name, he was named: "Hamapil Haalmony" [the unknown illegal immigrant.] The name was given to the Haapala ship that arrived in Israel on February 17th 1947.