SS Ava (1858)

The SS Ava was a 1,613 GRT British steamship, constructed in 1855 by the Tod & McGregor shipyard in Glasgow. She was operated by the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company on the China mail service. She ran aground and was wrecked off the coast of Ceylon in February 1858, on her voyage from Calcutta to Suez, including a cargo of 500 boxes containing £275,000 in gold.

There were no casualties and most of the cargo of specie and a replacement shaft for Alma, disabled at Aden, were recovered by divers from the steam frigate HMS Chesapeake.