The worst ever modern maritime disaster in New Zealand is the Wahine Tragedy. The tragic incident struck on April 10, 1968, where Wahine, the Lyttelton- Wellington bound ferry sank, and fifty-one people lost their lives the same day. Several weeks later, the number of victims rose to fifty-three, and the last surviving victim died in 1990 due to injuries he sustained during the wreck.

The Wahine tragedy marked another level in New Zealand’s broadcasting industry, and all television stations beamed images of the disaster right on everyone’s screen. The whole world soon got a grasp of the footage as the international media focused their spotlight on Wellington. There were several shipwrecks in the 19th century, but the Wahine Tragedy was one of the most unforgettable accidents since it was a larger and more modern vessel.





The primary cause of the mishap was not unconnected with the dreadful weather condition, and further investigations also acknowledged that another reason was based on wrong judgments made by ferry and board crew onshore. Eager rescuers stood helplessly at the Seatoun Beach and wearily watched the Wahine sank deeply. Reporters claim it’s one of the worst storms ever in New Zealand.





Events are being marked annually to remember the deadly mishap and also pay respect to the victims of the accident; prominent of all these events was the 50th Anniversary, which was held in 2018. Below are highlights of the event –