Ship was only 150 metres from safety

Press, 16 January 1986, Page 1

Ship was only 150 metres from safety

The Southern Quest was only 150 m away from open leads to clear water when she sank in the cold waters of the Ross Sea on Saturday. The ship’s master, Captain Graeme Phippen, said in Christchurch yesterday that he took responsibility for the fate of the ship, which was pinched between ice floes as he nudged it towards the open seas. “I suppose I was responsible for her sinking because I took the ship that way. But I went that way because it was the way to clear water,” he said. He dismissed the suggestion that the ship’s sinking was a case of bad luck.

“It was circumstances,” he said, pointing out that all around the Antarctic this season there had been a series of mishaps. He said competent persons had called them to say they were “a professional enterprise acting in a professional way.”

“We were working in loose pack ice which was tighten-

ing up. We were close to larger floes and were anxious to get into clear water which was only 150 m away. “When it appeared we could sink we signalled the South Pole and said we might need help. When that message went through we were told the walkers had been successful.” He also denied they could not have done without the rescue.

“We could have got ashore safely on our own, but were happy to accept the offer of help,” said Captain Phippen. Captain Phippen said it took about an hour for the Southern Quest to sink, but he described the actual sinking of the ship as being over very quickly. “Five minutes after I decided not to allow anyone else on board again the ship went down,” he said. He said he was happy that the ship, which had an ice classification three, and their equipment was adequate for the conditions.