Report of the Marine Court, 1972.
Seawise University received a regal reception on July 16, 1971, when she steamed into Hong Kong, including a welcoming salute from the spray of a local fireboat. This same craft would be using its deluge gun for a more serious purpose less than six months later as she futilely tried to quell the inferno within the superstructure of her former royal guest.
Life for the aging former Queen Elizabeth was not always easy and this noble lady had experienced much hard luck since being retired by the Cunard Line in October, 1968.
January 9, 1972 found some 2,000 workmen plus their wives and children on board sightseeing. A cocktail party was planned by the owner for that afternoon just prior to the ship sailing to Japan for drydocking preparatory to a March 28 maiden voyage as Seawise University. At approximately 10:30 am fire seemed to erupt everywhere at once and spread with remarkable speed. This is the story and the official Marine Court Report with photographs of the tragic fire in Hong Kong Harbour.
46 pages. Softback.
7C’s Press.
