Inside Story: The Wahine Disaster

Made in 2008, this documentary chronicles the Wahine disaster, from the ship leaving Lyttelton to the last survivor being pulled out of the water. Interviewees share their experiences — some make it ashore in life rafts at Seatoun, others are washed up on the “battlefield” of the Pencarrow coast. The Wahine’s crew offer insight into the conditions the ship was sailing in, and of their gradual realisation that it couldn’t be saved. The TV One programme also features animated scenes of the ill-fated journey, which mimic the black and white news footage of the disaster unfolding.

She was a very nice ship but the boys reckoned she was actually jinxed because there were things, like the steam lines used to blow out on a regular basis and that shouldn't have happened on a ship that new.

– Phil Bennett, Engineer

Key Cast & Crew

David Lomas

Producer, Research

Jill Graham

Director, Producer

Peter Elliott

Narrator

Tom Ludvigson

Other

Jude Callen

Commissioning Editor

Michael Kerslake

Sound