Stories

Maria Luisa tragedy Wellington Harbour 1996

I am the only survivour of the 1996 Maria Luisa tragedy. We were on the fishing trawler Maria Luisa 15342 when it collided with the Sydney Express, a containership, in the Wellington Harbour Channel near where the interisland ferry Wahine sank. The Westpac Rescue Chopper was on the scene within minutes as well as the Aratika ferry which was due outward for the South Island. The Sydney Express left us no draught and we ran out of depth then got hit by the container ship.

A close call

On 27th January 2013 (a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon), my partner and I were at a BBQ with a group of friends in Whangamata. As the weather was so hot some of the group decided to take a dip in the pool to cool down. My partner jumped in and I took a photo of this as it was most unusual for him. I looked away for an instant then looked back to see him under the water. Thanks to the quick reaction of friends he was brought to the surface (not breathing). Mouth to mouth and CPR was commenced immediately.

Maria Luisa tragedy Wellington Harbour 1996

I am the only survivour of the 1996 Maria Luisa tragedy. We were on the fishing trawler Maria Luisa 15342 when it collided with the Sydney Express, a containership, in the Wellington Harbour Channel near where the interisland ferry Wahine sank. The Westpac Rescue Chopper was on the scene within minutes as well as the Aratika ferry which was due outward for the South Island. The Sydney Express left us no draught and we ran out of depth then got hit by the container ship.

A close call

On 27th January 2013 (a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon), my partner and I were at a BBQ with a group of friends in Whangamata. As the weather was so hot some of the group decided to take a dip in the pool to cool down. My partner jumped in and I took a photo of this as it was most unusual for him. I looked away for an instant then looked back to see him under the water. Thanks to the quick reaction of friends he was brought to the surface (not breathing). Mouth to mouth and CPR was commenced immediately.

Maria Luisa tragedy Wellington Harbour 1996

I am the only survivour of the 1996 Maria Luisa tragedy. We were on the fishing trawler Maria Luisa 15342 when it collided with the Sydney Express, a containership, in the Wellington Harbour Channel near where the interisland ferry Wahine sank. The Westpac Rescue Chopper was on the scene within minutes as well as the Aratika ferry which was due outward for the South Island. The Sydney Express left us no draught and we ran out of depth then got hit by the container ship.

A close call

On 27th January 2013 (a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon), my partner and I were at a BBQ with a group of friends in Whangamata. As the weather was so hot some of the group decided to take a dip in the pool to cool down. My partner jumped in and I took a photo of this as it was most unusual for him. I looked away for an instant then looked back to see him under the water. Thanks to the quick reaction of friends he was brought to the surface (not breathing). Mouth to mouth and CPR was commenced immediately.

Maria Luisa tragedy Wellington Harbour 1996

I am the only survivour of the 1996 Maria Luisa tragedy. We were on the fishing trawler Maria Luisa 15342 when it collided with the Sydney Express, a containership, in the Wellington Harbour Channel near where the interisland ferry Wahine sank. The Westpac Rescue Chopper was on the scene within minutes as well as the Aratika ferry which was due outward for the South Island. The Sydney Express left us no draught and we ran out of depth then got hit by the container ship.

A close call

On 27th January 2013 (a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon), my partner and I were at a BBQ with a group of friends in Whangamata. As the weather was so hot some of the group decided to take a dip in the pool to cool down. My partner jumped in and I took a photo of this as it was most unusual for him. I looked away for an instant then looked back to see him under the water. Thanks to the quick reaction of friends he was brought to the surface (not breathing). Mouth to mouth and CPR was commenced immediately.

Maria Luisa tragedy Wellington Harbour 1996

I am the only survivour of the 1996 Maria Luisa tragedy. We were on the fishing trawler Maria Luisa 15342 when it collided with the Sydney Express, a containership, in the Wellington Harbour Channel near where the interisland ferry Wahine sank. The Westpac Rescue Chopper was on the scene within minutes as well as the Aratika ferry which was due outward for the South Island. The Sydney Express left us no draught and we ran out of depth then got hit by the container ship.

A close call

On 27th January 2013 (a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon), my partner and I were at a BBQ with a group of friends in Whangamata. As the weather was so hot some of the group decided to take a dip in the pool to cool down. My partner jumped in and I took a photo of this as it was most unusual for him. I looked away for an instant then looked back to see him under the water. Thanks to the quick reaction of friends he was brought to the surface (not breathing). Mouth to mouth and CPR was commenced immediately.