NZBC Classics - Wahine Disaster

I was just short of my 7th birthday when we boarded the Wahine to travel to Wellington from Christchurch. I got off on one lifeboat with my father and my mother was on another. I will never forget the help we were given by local people and will always be eternally thankful. Although i have tried to watch these reports and other documentaries in ensuing years, it is still too hard. I now live in the UK but do hope to return to NZ one April and see the memorial.

I was seven and living in Waiouru at the time, I remember it clearly . But my husband was nine and living in Petone. He remembers being taken home by older kids, and being swept off his feet. RIP to all those 53 souls.

My Mum was six months pregnant with me, and she and Dad also had my six other siblings with them on te Wahine. Their ages were from three years to 12 years old. We all survived. Lydia O'Neill Bailey

I was 9 years old and living in Khandallah. The wind was horrendous but we still walked to school. I remember my mother talking to a friend who lived in Seatoun as she described the disaster unfolding. To this day I cannot watch footage of the Wahine without tears welling up.

In April 1968 I was a 16year old deck boy on board the ss corinthic (shaw savill line) we were docked in Wellington I can remember one of our officers coming into the mess and telling the crew to put out extra mooring lines as the storm was getting worse a short time later I remember the same officer coming into the mess and telling us that a passenger ship (the Wahine) had been caught in the storm and was stuck on a reef just outside the harbour with a lot of passengers on board he asked for volunteers to man the lifeboat in order that we could go and give assistance I was one of the volunteers there was five of us in total we proceeded to put blanket ect into the lifeboat one thing that really sticks out in my mind was that we had a padre on board and as we were being lowered down the ships side he was saying a prayer I knew then that we were going into something very dangerous well we set off and the seas were horrendous it got that bad that after about half an hour we had to turn about and make for our own ship we were so close we could see the Wahine sitting on the reef but we could not get in close we all felt really bad not being able to help what a sad day for New Zealand .

I was a young deck boy on board the ss corinthic which was docked in Wellington harbour when the cyclone struck I can still remember it as if it was yesterday we were ordered to put out extra mooring ropes and wire hawsers to secure our ship to the docks we were sitting in the mess deck when one of our officers came in and told us about the whine having struck a reef and that there was a lot of passengers on board he then asked for volunteers to man one of our ships lifeboats in order that we might go out and try to help I was about 16years old at the time and I volunteered it sticks in my mind because there was a padre on board and as we were being lowered down the ships side he was saying a prayer we went out but the sea was unbelievable and it became to dangerous and the officer in charge told us to put about and return to our own ship there was five of us on board the lifeboat at the time unfortunately we were unable to help or save anyone this is just a glimpse of what went on that faithful day.

I was 8 when the Wahine went down. I remember the remains in Wellington harbour for many years. If that happened today there would be court cases and inquiries to find a scape goat or a cause. things have changed

I was in Form 2. We'd been sent home from school mid-morning. I remember the wind that day. I'd never experienced wind like that. A sheet of corrugated iron flying up the street just missed decapitating me. I made it home in time.

I am a Kiwi living in Las Vegas where the Titanic exhibit is currently showing, but I remember the Wahine disaster - I was 7 years old and my family was from Wellington. Many watched this disaster unfold.

My Uncle Graham Webb and my Father Harry Mclean helped recover the unfortunate souls on seatoun beach , just Awful

Gary Cunningham was the cameraman shooting the sound interviews with me on Seatoun beach that day...interviewer, Keith Aberdein..

I used to work as a Steward on the Wahine and left on the 31st March 1968, I would like to know if Garry Cooke and Terry Downes are still alive and their whearabouts, thanking you John Sparks

I think the baby girl in the second clip is Joanna Brittain. Went to school with her at Whakatane high school 1982