The Earl of Zetland, Yehuda Halevy
"Yehuda Halevy" sailed from Algiers Port on May 11th 1947, with 399 immigrants on board.
The "Yehuda Halevy" Haapala ship (named after the Jewish poet who lived in Spain in the Medieval Ages, and went to Israel in his late years) was prepared to depart for Israel in Marseille port, with a crew headed by Gideon (Geda) Shochat. The ship had been previously used for trading and cruising in the Northern Sea. The captain was Willy Laguna (A Spaniard.) The ship commander was Palyam member, Israel Charakovsky (Chorev.) The 'Gidoni' was Ya'aqov Melnitser (Netser.) An additional escort was Eitan Spojnik – Menuchin.
"Yehuda Halevy" sailed from Algiers Port on May 11th 1947, with 399 immigrants on board. A convoy with 250 additional immigrants was caught by the French authorities on its way ashore. An immigrant girl became ill and died during the voyage. The ship stopped to load up on coal in Palermo, and was followed by a British destroyer upon leaving the island on May 19th.
On May 31st, five destroyers surrounded "Yehuda Halevy." Two of them forcefully butted against the Haapala ship. British soldiers climbed on board and took over the ship while using tear gas. The escorts had managed to sabotage the ship's engines, and the British towed it to Haifa port. On June 1st, the immigrants were transferred to the "Ocean Vigor" deportation ship, which tool them to camp No.55 in Caraolos, Cyprus. The escorts intermingled with the immigrants and arrived in Cyprus with them.
"Yehuda Halevy" sailed from Algiers Port on May 11th 1947, with 399 immigrants on board. A convoy with 250 additional immigrants was caught by the French authorities on its way ashore. An immigrant girl became ill and died during the voyage. The ship stopped to load up on coal in Palermo, and was followed by a British destroyer upon leaving the island on May 19th.
On May 31st, five destroyers surrounded "Yehuda Halevy." Two of them forcefully butted against the Haapala ship. British soldiers climbed on board and took over the ship while using tear gas. The escorts had managed to sabotage the ship's engines, and the British towed it to Haifa port. On June 1st, the immigrants were transferred to the "Ocean Vigor" deportation ship, which tool them to camp No.55 in Caraolos, Cyprus. The escorts intermingled with the immigrants and arrived in Cyprus with them.