MS Athina B
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Japan | |
| Name | MS Kojima Maru |
| Builder | Ujina, Hiroshima |
| Yard number | 479 |
| Launched | 1968 |
| Completed | March 1968 |
| Renamed |
|
| Identification | IMO number: 6818148 |
 Greece | |
| Name | MS Athina B |
| Out of service | 21 January 1980 |
| Homeport | Piraeus |
| Identification | IMO number: 6818148 |
| Fate | Scrapped February 1980 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 3,468 tons |
| Length | 89.7 m (294 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 12.8 m (42 ft 0 in) |
| Speed | 12 knots |
The Athina B was a merchant ship. On 21 January 1980 she suffered engine failure in bad weather and beached at the English seaside resort of Brighton, to the east of the town's Palace Pier. The ship was a temporary tourist attraction, with the Volk's Electric Railway opening out of season to serve the large number of sightseers.[1] The anchor of the ship is on display on Brighton seafront.[2][3] A restaurant in Brighton bears the name of the ship[4] and a painting of Athena B by Dennis Roxby Bott is in Brighton Museum.[5]
Career
Built as the Kojima Maru at Hiroshima in 1968, she initially sailed under the Japanese flag. She was renamed Hung Wei in 1973 and Nina Pa in 1976, before being sold and renamed the Athina B in 1979, sailing under the Greek flag.[6]
Final voyage
The Athina B left the
Awards
Coxwain Ken Voice was awarded a RNLI Silver Medal; Crew members Ken Everard, Michael Fox, Peter Huxtable, John Landale, Jack Silverson and Geoff Tugwell were awarded the RNLI's Thanks of the Institution on Vellum; Crew members Peter Everard and Derek Silverson received letters of thanks signed by the director of the RNLI for their part in the rescue of the crew of the Athina B.[8]
Salvage
The ship remained on the beach for a month, guarded by the police to prevent looting. After a mobile crane was used to remove the cargo, she was refloated and towed to a scrapyard at Rainham, Kent on 21 February 1980, where she was scrapped.[2][6][9]
See also
- MS Riverdance – ferry that ran aground at Blackpool on 31 January 2008.
References
- ^ Pastfinders
- ^ a b c My Brighton and Hove Athina B article
- ^ My Brighton and Hove Anchor
- ^ The Argus
- ^ Virtual Art Museum Note incorrect spelling of name.
- ^ a b Miramar Ship Index – MS Athina B
- ^ My Brighton and Hove The rescue
- ^ a b Shoreham Lifeboat Archived 15 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine website
- ^ My Brighton and Hove Guarding the wreck
External links
- Poem about the incident
- Photo of the beached ship
- Photo Gallery
- Video Lifeboatman's story of the event
- Recording of the Athina B captain's Mayday call
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1980 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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