4 Apr 2018

Sound archives: The sinking of the “Wahine”

From Afternoons, 1:41 pm on 4 April 2018

Next Tuesday, the 10^th of April will be the 50^th anniversary of New Zealand’s worst modern maritime disaster, the sinking of the inter-island ferry ‘Wahine’ in Wellington Harbour in 1968, with the loss of 51 lives.

In our weekly visit to the sound archives of Ngā Taonga Sound & vision today Sarah Johnston will revisit the disaster and how it was covered by radio.

Ship Wahine sinking in Wellington Harbour. Alexander Turnbull Library

Policeman Ray Ruane holding a young survivor of the Wahine shipwreck. (Evening Post newspapaer) Alexander Turnbull Library

Elderly female survivor from the Wahine shipwreck being served soup on Seatoun beach (Evening Post newspaper) Alexander Turnbull Library

House in Island Bay Wellington damaged by Wahine storm. Dominion post (Newspaper) Alexander Turnbull Library