The wreck is partially buried by a sandwave and lies with its keel orientated 130/310 (bows to the southeast). There is a great deal of collapsed metal wreckage and sail rigging lies on the seabed.

Event and Historical Information:
The CHACABUCO was an iron-hulled full-rigged ship buitl by Gourlay Brothers & Co, Dundee, in 1869. Technical and configuration specifications are given as 999gt; 204ft length x 34ft 1in breadth x 21ft 4in depth; 1 bulkhead, 2 decks. At time of loss on 1 March 1873, the vessel was owned by Balfour & Co and registered at Liverpool. The ship was carrying wheat from San Francisco to Liverpool and had taken on a pilot off Point Lynas for the last stage of the voyage. In the early hours of the morning, the tug GUIDING STAR hailed and offered a tow, but before the tow could be passed a squall pushed the CHACABUCO on. Shortly after a bright light was seen on the starboard bow by the CHACABUCO's mate, August Arendrup. Only three or four minutes later the steamship TORCH, of Dublin, 198 tons, master Robert Cullin, ploughed into the CHACABUCO's starboard side near her mizzen rigging and the CHACABUCO began to sink. Only the Mate, an apprentice and one able seaman were picked up by a boat from the tug GUIDING STAR. The remaining crew and pilot drowned. The TORCH was abandoned, taken in tow, but foundered at 9 am three miles from Great Ormes (see NPRN 271444).

Sources include:
Board of Trade Inquiry 1873 Part VI Table 42 pg99 (335)
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Lloyds Register of British and Foreign Shipping, 1 July 1872 - 30 June 1873, number 308 in C
UK Hydrographic Office Wrecks and Obstructions Database. ? Crown Copyright and database rights. Reproduced by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the UK Hydrographic Office (www.ukho.gov.uk)

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, February 2010.