Te Totohutanga o te Wāhine 10 o Paengawhāwhā 1968 - The Sinking of the Wāhine 10 April 1968
Though there have been worse shipping disasters in New Zealand with far greater loss of life, the sinking of the Wahine in 1968 is by far the most well-known.
The first storm began several days before as a minor tropical cyclone to the far north of New Zealand. It was initially expected to pass over the Chatham Islands, but on the night of 9-10 April (the limitations of technology at the time meant it could not be tracked overnight), it dramatically changed course and headed south to Wellington. At the same time a deep depression was heading up the South Island - and the two storms clashed together at almost exactly the same time as the overnight Lyttleton - Wellington ferry T.E.V Wāhine approached the harbour entrance.
Massive waves and hurricane force winds led to the ship being forced on to Barrett's Reef. This resulted in the loss of her starboard propeller and the failure of her port engine, leaving the ship without any propulsive power. With capsize inevitable, the order to abandon ship was given early that afternoon. Of the 734 passengers and crew on board, 51 people lost their lives.
On shore, the storm also resulted in massive damage, flooding and injuries as people were hit by flying debris. The storm also marked the coming-of-age for television news broadcasting in New Zealand as camera crews rushed to report on events as they unfolded. The resulting footage was screened around the world as the world's media spotlight turned its attention to Wellington. Television coverage of the disaster later went on to win an international World News film award.
The disaster has also been well documented by historians and journalists. Below are a number of resources to help you research the sinking of the Wāhine in greater detail. Some of the books may be available in branch libraries - each book title links through to the libraries' online catalogue so you can check location and availability.
| Title & Author | Summary |
|---|---|
The Wahine disaster (DVD), 2008. Narrated by Peter Elliott. |
"The inter-island ferry Wahine sank in Wellington Harbour on April 10, 1968 after it was overcome by the worst storm in New Zealand. Fifty-one people lost their lives. This TVNZ documentary provides a new look at the disaster by concentrating on some of the survivors and their day of horror, together with animation which illustrates, for the first time, how the Wahine succumbed in a terrible storm, to become one of New Zealand's worst sea tragedies." (Adapted from catalogue) |
The Wahine disaster : a tragedy remembered, 2003. By Emmanuel Makarios. |
"A study of one of the worst maritime disasters in New Zealand history. Drawing on oral history and archival records it provides a vivid account of the events of 10 April 1968" (Catalogue) |
The Wahine Disaster, 1970. By Max Lambert. |
Probably the most detailed book written for the general reader on the disaster. It also includes a number of dramatic photographs of the event. (Also available electronically - The Wahine Disaster, by Max Lambert, on New Zealand Electronic Text Collection.) |
Shipwrecked : New Zealand maritime disasters, 2019. By Gavin McLean. |
Explores some of the iconic wrecks that wrote themselves into New Zealand history: the Orpheus, General Grant, Tararua, Wairarapa, Penguin, Wahine and Mikhail Lermontov. But others will be new to readers, the ordinary, everyday vessels on which New Zealanders depended. |
New Zealand's worst disasters : true stories that rocked a nation, 2015. By Graham Hutchins. |
"A full train plunges into a raging river at Tangiwai; the Wahine is tossed onto rocks at the entrance to Wellington Harbour; an Air New Zealand DC-10 plunges into Mt Erebus; an earthquake destroys Christchurch ...disasters like these are known to all New Zealanders: they are part of our history. But New Zealand has experienced many less well-known disasters, some of them shocking and brutal. Graham Hutchins and Russell Young describe some of the most extraordinary events in New Zealand history." (Catalogue) |
New Zealand's shipwreck gallery, 1983. By Steve Locker-Lampson. |
Has a brief write-up of the disaster and a dramatic photograph in its section on the Wahine. |
The Wahine disaster , 1990. By Kevin Boon. |
A well-illustrated introduction to the sinking of the Wahine especially written for younger readers or for those for whom English is a second language. |
Websites
- Archives Online - Wellington City Council
Wellington City Archives are the repository for the Wellington Harbour Board and the Union Steamship Company records, containing original source material relating to the Wahine disaster - TEV Wahine - Museums Wellington
An image collection that is a special tribute to the TEV Wahine. Covers the launch of the ship, its interior, the ship in dock, the disaster and sinking, and the salvage of the wrecked ship.