Sinking of the Tranquillité
.jpg) The Tranquillité on 11 January 1944. | |
| Date | 14 March 1944 |
|---|---|
| Time | 20:41 – 20:58 |
| Location | Cercian Ocean, near Isla Señavor, Tierada |
| Cause | Torpedoed by Tieradan submarine Marte |
| Outcome |
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The sinking of the Apelian ocean liner Tranquillité occured on 14 March 1944 near the island of Señavor, Tierada, in the midst of the Great War. The Tranquillité was carrying civilian emigrants, along with two companies of colonial troops and suspected war material, from Apelian Southwest Tusola to mainland Apelia, and had previously entered Tieradan colonial waters a week prior in the same voyage. The Tranquillité was attempting to navigate the strait of Señarbol, near the Tieradan mainland, when she was intercepted and torpedoed by the patrolling Tieradan Navy submarine Marte. The ship had capsized within 10 minutes of being struck and sunk seven minutes later, with only 231 survivors.
The sinking of the ship caused public outrage in both Tierada and Apelia. The following day, Apelian president Abel Mallaire submitted an ultimatum to the Tieradan government, demanding a formal apology from Tierada, reparations for the damages to the ship and the occupants killed, and a guarantee to allow other non-combatant Apelian vessels pass through Tieradan waters unhindered and unharmed. Tieradan public outrage over the incident shifted towards Apelia over their demands, which were already considered unacceptable by the Tieradan government; though president Enrique Castro had drafted a formal letter of apology, it was not published and the ultimatum was formally rejected. On 18 March, Apelia officially declared war against Tierada, bringing Tierada into the Great War on the side of the Allianz and starting the Western Front.