Farida – Af-Al-Pi-Chen [despite the situation]
"Af-Al-Pi-Chen" sailed from Formia port in southern Italy on September 15th 1947, with 434 immigrants on board.
The Haapala ship, "Af-Al-Pi-Chen" (named so since it was the first Haapala ship after the "Exodus Affair") had previously served as an invader in the Italian Navy. 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet' members were hoping to take advantage of the ship's unique properties, which enabled it to sail in shallow water, and bring the immigrants right to the shore.
The ship commander was Yitzhak Landauer. The 'Gidonim' were Chaya Fiferberg (Bar Meir) and Yosef Lazrovsky. Additional escorts were Palyam members Yehosha (Ossi) Ravid, Eli Shachar and Moshe Krupnik.
"Af-Al-Pi-Chen" sailed from Formia port in southern Italy on September 15th 1947, with 434 immigrants on board. A British reconnaissance aircraft spotted the ship on September 26th, about 20 miles north of Port Said. It was surrounded by four destroyers while sailing towards Nizanim shore. When one of the destroyers approached the ship, it butted against the destroyer with all its might, causing some minor damage to the destroyer. Following the clash, the remaining destroyers began maneuvering to block the ship, until one of them came close enough to drop its takeover crew on the deck.
The British soldiers ran towards the navigating bridge while firing with small-arms.
One immigrant, Noah Goldfarb (25 years old), was killed and nine others were injured (two of them badly) in the firing. After a short confrontation, the soldiers subdued the resisting immigrants and towed the ship to Haifa port. The following day, the immigrants were loaded onto the "Empire Comfort" and "Empire Rest" deportation ships and sent to detention in the "Winter Camps" in Cyprus. Among the immigrants was an informer (named Betty Fidler) who identified the seamen and two of the escorts for the British soldiers. In spite of that, the identified escorts managed to intermingle with the immigrants and board the deportation ships.
"Af-Al-Pi-Chen" was the last Haapala ship whose immigrants showed active and forceful resistance while being taken over by the British soldiers. A few days later, the resistance policy on board Haapala ships changed.
Today, "Af-Al-Pi-Chen" is located in the southern entrance to Haifa, where it serves as a museum of Haapala history.
The ship commander was Yitzhak Landauer. The 'Gidonim' were Chaya Fiferberg (Bar Meir) and Yosef Lazrovsky. Additional escorts were Palyam members Yehosha (Ossi) Ravid, Eli Shachar and Moshe Krupnik.
"Af-Al-Pi-Chen" sailed from Formia port in southern Italy on September 15th 1947, with 434 immigrants on board. A British reconnaissance aircraft spotted the ship on September 26th, about 20 miles north of Port Said. It was surrounded by four destroyers while sailing towards Nizanim shore. When one of the destroyers approached the ship, it butted against the destroyer with all its might, causing some minor damage to the destroyer. Following the clash, the remaining destroyers began maneuvering to block the ship, until one of them came close enough to drop its takeover crew on the deck.
The British soldiers ran towards the navigating bridge while firing with small-arms.
One immigrant, Noah Goldfarb (25 years old), was killed and nine others were injured (two of them badly) in the firing. After a short confrontation, the soldiers subdued the resisting immigrants and towed the ship to Haifa port. The following day, the immigrants were loaded onto the "Empire Comfort" and "Empire Rest" deportation ships and sent to detention in the "Winter Camps" in Cyprus. Among the immigrants was an informer (named Betty Fidler) who identified the seamen and two of the escorts for the British soldiers. In spite of that, the identified escorts managed to intermingle with the immigrants and board the deportation ships.
"Af-Al-Pi-Chen" was the last Haapala ship whose immigrants showed active and forceful resistance while being taken over by the British soldiers. A few days later, the resistance policy on board Haapala ships changed.
Today, "Af-Al-Pi-Chen" is located in the southern entrance to Haifa, where it serves as a museum of Haapala history.