Post by KG on Aug 1, 2018 22:33:26 GMT
During the night of 1 August 1968, four days after leaving the New Zealand port of Bluff bound for Liverpool, the 15,911-ton British cargo liner SS Gothic suffered a fire which killed four passengers and three crewmembers.
At the time of the fire, Gothic was steering into a gale, 1802 miles east of Bluff, at approximately 44°24’S, 149°04’W.
Captain Agnew navigated Gothic safely back to New Zealand under her own power – even though the fire had gutted the bridge, radio room and parts of the accommodation, and the ship had to be steered from the stern using an emergency compass with unknown error. Gothic docked at Wellington, and was repaired sufficiently for the trip to Britain, although she was scrapped soon afterwards.
Captain Agnew was awarded an OBE on 1 January 1970 for his efforts in getting Gothic safely back to New Zealand.
He died 12 April 2015, aged 82.
LINK
At the time of the fire, Gothic was steering into a gale, 1802 miles east of Bluff, at approximately 44°24’S, 149°04’W.
Captain Agnew navigated Gothic safely back to New Zealand under her own power – even though the fire had gutted the bridge, radio room and parts of the accommodation, and the ship had to be steered from the stern using an emergency compass with unknown error. Gothic docked at Wellington, and was repaired sufficiently for the trip to Britain, although she was scrapped soon afterwards.
Captain Agnew was awarded an OBE on 1 January 1970 for his efforts in getting Gothic safely back to New Zealand.
He died 12 April 2015, aged 82.
LINK