The RMS Cataraqui disaster occurred in 1845 when the British emigrant ship struck submerged rocks off King Island, Bass Strait, during severe weather. Of the over 400 passengers on board, only nine survived after the failed attempts to deploy lifeboats amidst turbulent seas. This maritime disaster stands as one of the most tragic incidents in the region's history, highlighting the perils faced by 19th-century emigrant ships traversing treacherous waters.