RMS Quetta RMS " Quetta " was a Royal Mail Ship that was wrecked on the Far North Queensland coast on 28 February 1890 . Of the 292 people aboard , 134 died . Background . RMS " Quetta " was a British - India Steam Navigation Company liner that travelled between England , India and the Far East . The Queensland Government negotiated to have a service between the United Kingdom and Brisbane , to ease the passage of people and mail . " Quetta " was specifically built for the Australia run , with refrigeration capacity for the frozen meat trade . The ship was launched in March 1881 and made her first voyage to Brisbane in 1883 . The designation RMS indicated the ship ' s role within the Queensland Royal Mail Line . Her sister ships were " Manora " and " Merkara " . The ship was initially designed for 72 saloon ( first class ) and 32 steerage ( second class ) passengers , although this was later altered to favour steerage class due to the large number of migrants using the service . In five - and - a - half years service " Quetta " made 11 London - Brisbane round trips ; the twelfth would be her final attempt . Disaster . On the night of 28 February 1890 the ship ' s master was Captain Sanders , with Captain Keatinge aboard piloting the ship through the Torres Strait . Destined for Thursday Island , the ship turned into the Adolphus Channel to round the Cape York Peninsula . The pilot was experienced , the weather fine and visibility good , but at 9 : 14pm the ship struck an uncharted rock in the middle of the channel near Albany Island . The rock tore a hole through the plates from the bow to the engine room amidships , four to 12 feet wide . The ship sank in less than five minutes . At the time , the worst maritime disaster in Queensland ' s history . At the time of the disaster " Quetta " had 292 people aboard : a crew of 121 , comprising 15 European officers , 14 from other trades and 92 lascar s from India ; 70 Javanese in temporary deck houses , travelling to Batavia after working in the cane fields ; and 101 other passengers . The ship ' s cutter floated clear of the wreck and capsized , surrounded by a large group of Javanese and lascar seamen . Quartermaster James Oates organised the baling of the cutter and it headed towards shore . Only one of the ship ' s lifeboats survived : Number 1 starboard lifeboat controlled by third officer Thomas Babb . It was damaged and largely awash . As it headed toward shore it picked up more survivors including Captain Sanders . Around midnight the two boats came together and those aboard were placed on the nearest island . Captain Sanders then ordered the cutter to search for more survivors . After spending a night and day without food and water on Little Adolphus Island the main group of ninety - eight survivors were rescued by the " Albatross " , that along with the " Merrie England " had been dispatched from Thursday Island ' s Port Kennedy . The " Albatross " took soundings and located the rock thought responsible for the disaster , about half a mile from where " Quetta " lay . Relics raised during salvage attempts months after the disaster , and later , can be found in the Quetta Memorial Church on Thursday Island , which was consecrated in 1893 . She now lies on her port side in of water and is a protected historic shipwreck under Australia ' s " Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 " .