SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
June 13:
“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”
1850: Duchess of Buccleugh, this wooden British barque lost its rudder in a storm, but the crew managed to run it ashore near the Ratel River mouth in the Western Cape where it wrecked.
1859: Osmond, this Danish brig ran aground on the bar of the Breede River in the Western Cape becoming a wreck.
1927: Colonist, this British steam-powered tug was scuttled near Cape Recife in the Eastern Cape. It had handled the landing activities from the Port Elizabeth North Jetty from 1881 onwards. After 46 years in service, it was deemed unfit for service and was scuttled.
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| A depiction of the event that broke the World Glory (1968) in two |
1968: World Glory, this Liberian tanker foundered after being snapped in two by a freak wave during a storm about 112 km northeast of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. Of the 35 that were on board, 24 lost their lives.
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| An image of an article in the Natal Mercury of the bow of the World Glory (1968) still afloat |
1978: Le Condor, this South African fishing vessel foundered after a fire broke out on board in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape.
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| The World Glory (1968), date and location unknown |
1997: Calarasi, this Romanian bulk carrier foundered 11 km from Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape in 30 metre swells after one of its engines failed. Of the crew of 21, all were rescued except for one crewman who lost his life.
2010: A West Cape Ferries Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner (registration no. ZS-ZOC) was damaged beyond repair on this day after making an emergency landing at Lanseria Airport in Gauteng. The turboprop was carrying journalists for the FIFA World Cup to Polokwane, Limpopo, when, the left side landing gear door failed to open properly.
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| Clearing the runway after the emergency landing of ZS-ZOC at Lanseria Airport |
The crew tried everything to get the landing gear door to open, but this was unsuccessful, and the flight returned to Lanseria, where emergency procedures were followed, such as burning off its fuel. Then an emergency landing was made, with the landing gears retracted. The emergency landing was successful in saving the crew and the passengers, but the damage sustained from landing on its fuselage meant that the turboprop had to be written off. The investigation determined that the new tyres installed on the main landing gear wheels were not in compliance with a service letter issued by Fairchild.
