The+Wahine

=THE WAHINE DISASTER=

= Tragedy in Wellington Harbour = 

= The Wellington ferry //Wahine// sunk on 10 April 1968. It was New Zealand's worst disaster. 51 people were killed that day, others died weeks later and a 53rd victim died in 1990 from injuries sustained in the wreck. As images of the disaster were beamed onto the worlds T.V. screens, the footage was later screened around the world as t` international media spotlight focused on Wellington. Rescuers stood helplessly at Seatoun Beach as the //Wahine// sunk. It was one of the worst storms recorded in the New Zealand history. It seemed impossible that so many lives could be lost so close to shore. Although the main cause of the acknowledged that errors of judgement had been made both on board the ferry and on shore. Shipwrecks were common in the 19th century, but this was the 1960s – how could a large, modern vessel founder almost within sight of New Zealand's capital city. =

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