What Happened to the Fairstar Cruise Ship?

By Alice Nichols

On April 11, 1979, the Fairstar cruise ship departed from Rotterdam, Netherlands and was headed to Durban, South Africa. The journey was expected to take two weeks but the voyage quickly turned into a disaster that would become one of the most infamous maritime accidents in history.

Though the ship had just been built in 1975 and passed all safety inspections, the Fairstar was never meant to be an ocean-going vessel. It was designed as an “offshore supply vessel” and lacked many features necessary for a trans-oceanic voyage. The ship’s hull was not strong enough to withstand heavy waves and quickly began taking on water.

The crew attempted to repair the damage but were unsuccessful due to a lack of supplies and tools. After five days at sea, the Fairstar had begun taking on more water than it could pump out and eventually had to be abandoned by its passengers and crew.

Rescue vessels soon arrived on the scene but were unable to tow the ship back to port due to its weakened state. By April 20th, it became clear that there was no hope for saving Fairstar so she was allowed to drift away from her last known location until she finally sank into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean sometime in May 1979.

The accident resulted in no fatalities or injuries though it did cause considerable economic losses for both Royal Cruise Line (the owners of Fairstar) and their insurers. It also highlighted how inadequate safety regulations can lead to disastrous outcomes when human lives are at risk.

Though it has been over 40 years since the sinking of Fairstar, her legacy still lives on as a warning of what can happen when safety is overlooked in favor of maximizing profits or cutting corners during construction. The story of how one ill-fated cruise ended in tragedy serves as a reminder that no amount of money is worth risking human life when it comes to maritime travel.What Happened To The Fairstar Cruise Ship? The Fairstar cruise ship set sail from Rotterdam on April 11th 1979 with plans for a two week journey which quickly became an infamous maritime accident when it began taking on more water than it could pump out after five days at sea leading it to have to be abandoned by its passengers and crew before being allowed drift away where she eventually sunk into the Atlantic Ocean sometime in May 1979 with no fatalities or injuries reported but causing considerable economic losses for Royal Cruise Line (the owners) and their insurers as well as highlighting inadequate safety regulations risking human life when it comes to maritime travel.

Conclusion:

The story of what happened to the Fairstar cruise ship serves as an important reminder that safety should always come first when travelling by sea or any other mode of transport.