MZ Coelacanth

### Owner

Trans-Silt Line (431 ASB - 447 ASB)East Clayistan Royal Motor Packet Company (447 ASB - 448 ASB)

### Fate

Capsized during a storm on M7-26 448 ASB

The **MZ *Coelacanth*** was a semi-rigid motorised zeppelin built in 430 ASB for the Trans-Silt Line. It was the Trans-Silt Line's second zeppelin built and was the first of the *Coelacanth-*class. During the First Silt Loaman Civil War, it was requisitioned by the Silt Loam Republic Navy for use transporting troops and small munitions to various areas along the Silt Loam Republic-Unspeakable Domain border. Following its wartime service and Trans-Silt Line's subsequent defuncting in 447 ASB, *Coelacanth* was sold to the East Clayistan Royal Motor Packet Company. It made 49 trips on its Maricis-Osilicat route before capsizing during a storm and crashing near Grozda, Clayistan.

## History

Following the mild success of the MZ *Discus*'s Maricis-Osilicat route, Trans-Silt Line commissioned four additional vessels to travel alongside it. Due to slight stability issues with *Discus*, all subsequent ships were designed by Farish Byrne. The *Coelacanth*-class came to fruition on M4-02 430 ASB, with MZ *Coelacanth* and MZ *Tiktaalik*'s constructions beginning on the same day. Both ships were identical and during construction, it was decided that the first finished would become the titular ship. The next two ships of the class wouldn't begin construction until later that year, with MZ *Panderichthys*'s keel being laid on M8-13 430 ASB and MZ *Ichthyostega*'s on M11-23 430 ASB. There was a proposition for a fifth instalment in the class, but plans were abandoned in favour of the growing demand for services to Kirewall-on-the-lake and Adapool.

*Coelacanth*'s maiden voyage occurred on M7-29 432 ASB and was largely uneventful. On M1-18 434 ASB, a group of five Silty Clay Loaman extremists attempted to scuttle the vessel whilst en route to Maricis but the crew were able to successfully apprehend the individuals and land in Terracotta City. Over time, *Coelacanth* gained public favourability over its sister *Tiktaalik.*

During the First Silt Loaman Civil war, the Silt Loaman government requisitioned a number of zeppelins from Trans-Silt Line's parent company, the Silt Loam Republic-based Pan-Silt Steam Navigation Group. For its wartime service, it was renamed to the SLV *Laspir* and painted grey, with the Silt Loam Republic's naval flag on its fins*.* Initially, guns were installed on *Laspir* but these were removed after maneuverability issues surfaced. Instead, *Laspir* transported troops and small munitions to the Silt Loam Republic-Unspeakable Domain border. After the War, *Laspir* was returned to Trans-Silt Line and resumed its previous title and paintwork. While *Coelacanth* made it through the War unscathed, a considerable number of Pan-Silt Steam Navigation Group vessels were lost and the company filed for bankruptcy on M12-14 447 ASB. Unable to find a new parent company, Trans-Silt Line was forced to dissolve.

Trans-Silt Line's Chairman, Agnes Kearsarge, was adamant that *Coelacanth* would be spared from scrapping, as he believed it still had "at least 30 years left in [it]". East Clayistan Royal Motor Packet Company agreed to purchase *Coelacanth* alongside 5 other Trans-Silt Line vessels at a discounted price. Initially, ECMP's Chairman, Friedrich Belknap, planned to rename *Coelacanth* after his daughter, Penelope, but this information was not relayed to the ship's painters and it was decided that a name change would be an unnecessary expense. *Coelacanth* served ECMP for a mere 8 voyages before its fateful voyage.

## Loss

On the morning of M7-21 448 ASB, *Coelacanth* departed its mooring mast in Maricis for its routine Maricis-Osilicat service. The weather in Maricis was fine but the crew had been informed of a storm due to pass over the south-east Clayistan region within the coming days. It was calculated that the ship would narrowly miss the storm if it were to travel at 80% speed, and so it travelled at a speed of 48 knots. Upon entering southeast Clayistan on M7-25 the ship encountered heavy fog and light rain but appeared to be able to handle the weather conditions. During the night, the ship encountered strong winds and hard rain, and ballast was dropped in an attempt to counter the rough weather. Still travelling at 47 knots, the ship began to capsize and its first distress call was sent, which was received by a passing Concretian bulk carrier, MS *Rebus**.* It then contacted Osilicat Airport's control tower and the Concretian coast guard. Osilicat Air Control then contacted Grozda's emergency services, which had already been contacted after a sighting of an upturned zeppelin by a local.

It took 4 minutes for *Coelacanth* to completely capsize and some falling heavy objects bore a hole in the ceiling, causing some passengers to fall into the hull.

By the time *Coelacanth* had crashed onto Ardash Highway, police had used their cars to obstruct the potential crash site and prevent ground deaths.

#### Aftermath

During its final voyage, *Coelacanth* was carrying 58 persons, 31 of whom were passengers. 14 paleoanthropologists from the University of Maricis, including Nursiltan Lo'amnikov, were aboard the ship on their way to the Kaolin Centre of Prehistoric and Paleoenvironmental Research. Among the 14, only five survived. In total, 18 crew and 12 passengers survived.

The circumstances of the crash were investigated by the Clayistan High Court, with trials beginning on M3-20 451 ASB.