Passage 5.25.2
Μεσσηνίους τοὺς ἐπὶ τῷ πορθμῷ κατὰ ἔθος δή τι ἀρχαῖον πέμποντας ἐς Ῥήγιον χορὸν παίδων πέντε ἀριθμὸν καὶ τριάκοντα καὶ διδάσκαλόν τε ὁμοῦ τῷ χορῷ καὶ ἄνδρα αὐλητὴν ἐς ἑορτήν τινα ἐπιχώριον Ῥηγίνων, κατέλαβεν αὐτούς ποτε συμφορά, μηδένα ὀπίσω τῶν ἀποσταλέντων σφίσιν ἀποσωθῆναι· ἀλλὰ ἡ ναῦς ἡ ἄγουσα τοὺς παῖδας ἠφανίσθη σὺν αὐτοῖς κατὰ τοῦ βυθοῦ. ἔστι γὰρ δὴ ἡ κατὰ τοῦτον θάλασσα τὸν πορθμὸν θαλάσσης χειμεριωτάτη πάσης·
Once, according to an ancient tradition, the Messenians were sending a chorus of boys—thirty-five in number—along with a teacher for the chorus and a flute-player, across the strait to Rhegium for a local festival celebrated by the Rhegians. But disaster befell them on one occasion, and none of those dispatched returned home safely. Rather, the ship carrying the boys disappeared with all on board into the depths of the sea. Indeed, this sea passage at the strait is the stormiest part of all seas.