Captaine Bouganville Monument - Whananaki South Northland, New Zealand
S 35° 32.026 E 174° 27.870
60H E 270119 N 6064803
This monument is in reconition of the 16 people who lost their lives.
Waymark Code: WMA281
Location: North Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 11/04/2010
Views: 3
The Capitaine Bougainville tragedy occurred in 1975, during an easterly storm, 12-metre swell, and giant waves breaking 300 m offshore. It became Northland’s worst maritime disasters.
The Noumea-registered freighter was taking meat and dairy products to Sydney with 29 crew and 8 passengers on board when a fire broke out in the engine room, directly below the lifeboats. With the fire raging out of control, Captain Jean Thomas made the call to abandon ship at 3:40am. The combination of wind, mountainous waves and a powerful current made launching the lifeboats perilous. Many drowned when their lifeboats capsized; others succumbed to cold. The disaster claimed 16 lives. (
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