Back From Dead: 50 years on, MV Blythe Star that sank off Tasmania finally found sitting upright on seabed
The wreck was covered with a minimal growth of algae and seaweed, and some structures showed signs of damage, particularly on the stern. Most notably, the vessel's wheelhouse is no longer present, the Australia's National Science Agency confirmed
After nearly 50 years since its sinking off the coast of Tasmania, a CSIRO investigation has successfully determined the precise location of the MV Blythe Star shipwreck.
On October 13, 1973, while on its routine voyage from Hobart to King Island, the vessel experienced a starboard list, leading to water ingress and eventual capsizing.
Following the incident, ten crew members managed to board an inflatable life raft and endured nine days at sea in increasingly severe weather conditions. Tragically, one crew member lost their life during this period.
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The remaining nine survivors embarked on a challenging journey, attempting to trek from their landing spot at Deep Glen Bay on the Forestier Peninsula.
Regrettably, two more crew members succumbed to exhaustion and hypothermia during this arduous ordeal.
It wasn’t until October 26, almost two weeks later, that the survivors were finally rescued. A small group of them managed to find their way to a road, where they successfully flagged down a passing motorist for assistance.
Despite extensive maritime searches conducted over the years, no trace of the sunken vessel had been discovered until now.
In a recent development, researchers from the CSIRO and the University of Tasmania, while studying a submarine landslide, stumbled upon the MV Blythe Star shipwreck approximately 10.5km west of Tasmania’s South West Cape.
Utilizing mapping data and video imagery, the team confirmed that the wreckage they encountered was indeed the long-lost MV Blythe Star.
Solving a 50-year-old maritime mystery. 🚢
On Friday, 12 October 1973, the coastal freighter MV Blythe Star departed Hobart bound for King Island. On board were 10 crew and a cargo of beer and fertiliser.
In the days that followed, the ship disappeared without a trace. pic.twitter.com/JVPLQicwUt
— CSIRO (@CSIRO) May 15, 2023
The shipwreck exhibited a sparse growth of algae and seaweed, with noticeable damage to the stern and the absence of the wheelhouse. The presence of crayfish, schools of fish, and a number of fur seals swimming around the wreckage was captured on film.
The CSIRO expressed its satisfaction in confirming the definitive location of the vessel’s final resting place, thereby resolving the 50-year-old mystery.
As a consequence of this tragedy, significant maritime regulations were enacted in Australia. These included the implementation of a maritime position reporting system, which has significantly enhanced safety measures at sea.
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