Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Moledet מולדת‎ Homeland was a wooden steamer, built to carry general cargo in the fjords of Norway, not for sailing on the open sea.
Registered Name: San Philippo San Felipe
Capacity: 750 tons

The sailing of Moledet מולדת was organized to take on passengers in Marseille, but there was suspicion that she would be impounded by local authorities at the request of the British.
To avoid detention, she sailed for Corsica, and from there to Italy.

On March 23, 1947, Moledet מולדת sailed from Metaponto, carrying 1,568 passengers.
Fabi Gaver served as Palyam Commander aboard Moledet מולדת.
Menachem Ben-Yami served as Gidoni , Wireless Radio Operator, aboard Moledet מולדת.
Alex Dotan Schecht, Gad Heilbrun and Aharon Shechtman served as Palyam Escorts aboard Moledet מולדת.
Palyamniks Yisrael Rotem and Avraham Riklis helped the passengers board.

Moledet מולדת heeled to one side at the start of the voyage at an angle of twelve degrees, and after taking on passengers, was at an angle of twenty degrees.

On March 29, 1947, RAF reconnaisance aircraft spotted Moledet מולדת San Philippo about 90 miles northwest of Haifa חיפה.
HMS Charity intercepted Moledet מולדת San Philippo, and HMS Haydon joined HMS Charity later that day.
When she was intercepted, Moledet מולדת San Philippo was listing close to 35 degrees, but refused help, so the Royal Navy vessels dropped back and watched.

On the morning of March 30, 1947, when Moledet מולדת's pumps stopped working, and the diesel engine died, Fabi Gaver sent out an SOS, and a British destroyer responded, and towed Moledet מולדת to Haifa חיפה.
HMS Haydon sent over a pump and a salvage party, along with the boarding party.
Within 80 minutes, the salvage crew had cleared the engine compartments of water, but Moledet continued to list, forcing partial evacuation.
HMS St. Brides Bay and HMS Octavia joined the operation, and 550 passengers were transferred to HMS Charity, and 265 passengers were transferred to HMS St. Brides Bay.
HMS Octavia took Moledet מולדת under tow.
Moledet מולדת, her crew and passengers were arrested in Haifa חיפה, and the British deported the passengers to Cyprus Kibris, on transport ships.