Santa Lucia ~ 28 July 1943

With the exception of some required time for WWI hospital activity, the SS Santa Lucia was a regular service passenger-postal ship used to link Ponza, Ventotene, Santo Stephano and Gaeta island to Napoli city.

She left Ponza the morning of July 26, 1943 with about 110 passengers. Those on board included inhabitants of Ponza (several were newlyweds), crew and military personnel. 

On July 28 she was sunk by torpedo bombers (British Bristol Beaufighter, 47th RAF Squadron) and sank. Only five survivors could be found and the count of the victims could not be certified. This tragedy is still alive in the minds of local islanders.