Death Ship

Dubbed the death ship by the local media, the giant 2,500 tonne Jumboship Gabriella capsized and sank at the Port Kembla wharves in August 1986. Two surveyors were killed in the tragedy. The ships crane was lifting a 240 tonne machinery load at the time and 400 tonnes of water ballast was counteracting the weight. A cable snapped on the ships gear dropping the load and releasing the weight starboard side. The weight of the ballast rolled the vessel over to port and the open hatches immediately filled with water.

The Danish ship sank taking two surveyors trapped on board with her to the bottom of the harbour.

"Some of the crew were thrown clear or jumped, the others (six, in fact) escaped through windows and doors and swam to safety," the Seamenšs Journal, September 1986 reports. "Viewing the scene, one wonders how there was not greater loss of life. On the wharf, around where the lift dropped, there were assorted pieces of ships' gantry cranes which broke away, some landing around the lift and a part of the ships gantry, a huge block actually falling on top of the load balancing there. The low loader was crushed and you can just imagine the people who would have been standing around to help position the load."

Divers were brought down from Sydney to retrieve the bodies, before the massive salvage operation got under way.