TEV Wahine

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The Wahine was a New Zealand ferry that ran aground on April 10, 1968 storm in Wellington Harbour on the Barrett Reef and eventually capsized. Of the 610 123 persons passengers and crew, 53 people lost their lives. This shipwreck is the most famous of New Zealand, albeit in the more distant history of New Zealand shipwrecks with higher numbers of victims were to be deplored.

New Zealand radio and television were broadcasting the drama during the event, was the Wahine but in close proximity to Wellington district Seatoun, a few hundred meters from the shore, ran on a reef and incapable of maneuvering before finally before the eyes of many helpless helpers and population was driven past Wellington close to the shore and six hours later capsized and sank.

The official death toll was initially given as 51, was then 22 years later and raised on the 40th anniversary of the disaster in 2008, again on 53 now.

The accident

In the early morning of April 10 was about Wellington with up to 275 km / h, the strongest ever recorded in New Zealand storm, caused by the meeting of the coming of the North cyclones Giselle and an Antarctic storm from the south.

At the same time, the coming of Christ Church ferry Wahine reached the Cook Strait and the entrance to the Bay of Wellington, the Wellington Harbour. At 5:50 clock in the morning the wind speed was between 130 and 150 km / h 20 minutes later but she was already at 160 km / h increased. At this time the waves were so high that the radar lost its function and thus the ship was almost disoriented. The entrance to the bay of Wellington is crisscrossed by narrow and reefs and shoals. A huge wave pushed the Wahine off course and on to the Barrett Reef. The captain saw the danger and tried to turn the ship, however, was driven back to the reef due to the waves and the storm and scraped there at 6:40 with the hull over the rocks. As a result, water poured into the engine room and the ship was unmotivated and thus unable to maneuver.

The storm continued to increase. The Wahine drifted past the banks of the Miramar Peninsula. Despite its proximity to the shore the wind was too strong for help would have been possible.

At 11:00 clock a harbor tug reached the Wahine and tried to attach a rope to tow the ship towards the quieter harbor of Wellington, which did not succeed.

At 13:15 the Wahine was driven by the storm and the incoming tide in a position that was somewhat sheltered from the wind. There, the ship tipped but suddenly, so the captain decided now to evacuate the ship. Due to the sudden tilt of the ship and the waves but only four rescue boats could be lowered into the water, the first of which tipped the waters and the occupants fell into the sea. Some were able to hold on to the boat, which was driven to the easternmost shore, but where it shattered against the rocks.

At 14:30 the Wahine finally tipped completely to the side. At the same time reached first survivor the westernmost shore at Seatoun. About 200 people tried to reach the eastern shore. This, however, was rocky and uninhabited, also at the time of the accident with vehicles due to landslides unreachable. Many people, mostly the elderly or children, were wrecked on the rocks or died lying on the banks of exhaustion before help arrived. Those who were driven by a storm toward the far distant shores of Petone, had ultimately the higher chances of survival if they are not drowned en route.

After the Disaster

Ten weeks after the accident found the official investigation report deficiencies in the measures taken, but acknowledged that the conditions were difficult and dangerous. The report confirmed the other hand, that the time for the evacuation of the ship was right to such earlier or later date, probably more victims would have been complaining.

The broken-in by the high waves into the vehicle deck water was ultimately responsible for the capsizing of the ship.

Experiments, the Wahine, which was for several years seen capsized in the harbor of Wellington, to recover as a whole failed. Subsequent storms tore apart the wreck, so it was finally dismantled in place.