| Birth: | unknown, New Zealand | | Death: | Apr. 10, 1968, New Zealand | 
On the morning of 10 April, 1968, Cyclone "Giselle" hit at the same time as another storm which had driven up the West Coast of the South Island from Antarctica. The two storms met over the capital city, Wellington, creating a single storm just as the inter-island ferry Wahine was crossing Cook Strait, between the South and North Islands of New Zealnd. At 5.50 on the morning of 10 April, carrying 610 passengers and 123 crew, the Captain of the Wahine, decided to enter Wellington harbour. Huge waves and winds over 160kph drove the Wahine onto the rocks at Barrett Reef. Although both anchors were dropped, and all water-tight doors were closed, the vessel drifted off the rocks, and eventually listed, and sank, with the loss of 51 lives. The memorial is situated at Palmer Head near the site of the actual sinking. (bio by: Jeff J)
Search Amazon for Wahine Disaster | | | Burial:
Palmer Head Memorial
*
Wellington
Wellington, New Zealand
*Memorial Site [?] |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Apr 27, 2003
Find A Grave Memorial# 7390631 |
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