An early photo of the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt

As Johan van Oldenbarnevelt

The MS Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was built in Amsterdam at the Nederlandse Scheepsbouw Maatschappij, dockyard 194. The ship was launched on August 3, 1929 and construction was completed on March 13, 1930. She was powered by two propellers and two Sluzer diesel engines and had a maximum speed of 19 knots. The ship was 609 feet long and weighed 19,040 tons. She was originally operated by the Netherland Line, and sailed between Amsterdam and the Dutch East Indies for nine years. Municipality of Amsterdam Alternate meanings: See Amsterdam Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. ... August 3 is the 215th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (216th in leap years), with 150 days remaining. ... 1929 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... March 13 is the 72nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (73rd in leap years). ... 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... A propeller can be seen as a rotating fin in water or a wing in air. ... The diesel engine is a type of internal combustion engine; more specifically, it is a compression ignition engine, in which the fuel is ignited by being suddenly exposed to the high temperature and pressure of a compressed gas containing oxygen (usually atmospheric air), rather than a separate source of ignition... The Dutch East Indies, or Netherlands East Indies, (Dutch: Nederlands Indië) was the name of the colonies colonised by the Dutch East India Company which came under administration of the Netherlands during the ninteenth century (see Indonesia). ...

The Johan van Oldenbarnevelt originally could accommodate 770 passengers: 366 in first class, 280 in second, 64 in third and 60 in fourth class. She could also carry as many as 360 crewmen. The ship had seven passenger decks and could carry 9,000 tons of additional cargo. Cargo is a term used to denotes goods or produce being transported generally for commercial gain, usually on a ship, plane, train or lorry. ...

Along with her sister ship, the Marnix van St. Aldegonde, the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was the largest Dutch ship at the time she was built. She was the eighty-ninth ship ever built for the Netherland Line.

The ship was built as a luxury liner. Famed artist Carel Adolph Lion Cachet and sculptor Lambertus Zijl designed the ship’s teak and marble interior, as well as her many statues, mosaics, tapestries and chandeliers. Binomial name Tectona grandis Teak is a tropical hardwood tree, with the botanic name Tectona grandis, family Verbenaceae. ... Marble This page is about the metamorphic rock. ... Charlie Chaplin Statue A statue is a sculpture depicting a specific entity, usually a person, event, animal or object. ... This article is about a decorative art. ... There is an album by Carol King called Tapestry A tapestry cushion, depicting pansies Tapestry is a form of textile art. ... Chandelier in the Vice Presidents Ceremonial Office in the White House A chandelier is a ceiling-mounted fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. ...

At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was chartered by the Holland America Line and re-registered in Batavia, Indonesia. She was used as a cargo ship on the Batavia to New York City route. On January 20, 1941, she was registered as an allied troop ship, and was converted for duty at the Harland and Wolff shipyard. Managed by the Orient Line, she could carry a maximum of 4,000 troops. Her port of registration was Willemstad, Curaçao. After servicing India, Singapore and Penang, she finally returned to her home port of Amsterdam on February 13, 1946. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Holland America Line, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, is a cruise ship line, originally an operator of passenger and cargo ships. ... This page is about the capital city of Indonesia. ... The Republic of Indonesia is located in the Malay Archipelago, the worlds largest archipelago, between Indochina and Australia, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Willemstad can refer to: Willemstad is the capital of Curaçao Willemstad is a town in Moerdijk This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Curaçao and Bonaire are two Caribbean islands Curaçao [pronounced koo-rah-sow] (population 150,000) is an island in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea, one of the Windward Islands of the Netherlands Antilles, a self-governing part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. ... The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of more than one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. ... National motto: Majulah Singapura (English: Onward, Singapore) National anthem: Majulah Singapura Capital Singapore1 Largest city Singapore1 Official languages English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay, Tamil Government President Prime minister Westminster system (de jure) Dominant-party system (de facto) Sellapan Rama Nathan Lee Hsien Loong Independence - From Malaysia August 9, 1965 Area  - Total... State motto: no State motto Capital George Town Governor Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Abbas Chief Minister Koh Tsu Khoon Area 1,056 km2 Population  - Estimated 1,400,000 State anthem Pulau Pinang State Anthem A view of George Town, with Butterworth in the background on the other side of... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1946 was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

Her sister ship, the Marnix van St. Aldegonde, also served as a troop ship. She was torpedoed and sunk by German aircraft off the Algerian coast, and all 3,000 troops and crew were saved by rescue ships. A modern torpedo, historically called a self propelled torpedo, is a self-propelled guided projectile that (after being launched above or below the water surface) operates underwater and is designed to detonate on contact or in proximity to a target. ... The Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is one of the worlds leading industrialised countries, located in the heart of Europe. ... The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, or Algeria, is a nation in north Africa, and the second largest country on the African continent. ...

After a refitting, the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt returned to service on the Amsterdam – Batavia route in 1946. Indonesians were fighting for their independence from the Netherlands at this time. The ship ferried Dutch troops returning home to Europe from Indonesia for several years. 1946 was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). ...

By 1950, the political climate in Indonesia had become so unstable that the ship was withdrawn from the East Indies service. She was switched to the Amsterdam – Australia service and departed on her first voyage to Australia on September 2, 1950. She serviced Australia and New Zealand for the next twelve and a half years, with occasional service to Canada and the United States. Events January January 5 - US Senator Estes Kefauver introduces a resolution calling for examination of organized crime in the USA January 6 - The United Kingdom recognizes the Peoples Republic of China. ... Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is the sixth-largest country in the world, the only country to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia/Oceania. ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years). ... New Zealand is an independent sovereign state in the south-western Pacific Ocean. ... Canada is a sovereign state in northern North America, the northern-most country in the world, and the second largest in total area. ... The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ...

The Australia run was an instant success, and 1951, the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was put into dry-dock in Amsterdam for refitting. She was refurbished to carry 1,414 passengers in a one-class configuration. Her lounges were restored to their original state of luxury, and additional passenger facilities were installed. Eight lifeboats were added, bringing her total number of boats to 24. 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... For the 1944 movie, see Lifeboat (movie). ...

On January 23, 1952, the ship left for Australia and was forced to return to Amsterdam after four small fires were discovered on board. The fires were quickly extinguished. Arson was suspected, but no suspects were ever arrested. January 23 is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1952 - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Arson is the crime of setting a fire with intent to cause damage. ...

The Johan van Oldenbarnevelt in Australia after her 1958 refit

The Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was refitted again in 1958 at a cost of AU$800,000. The refitting was carried out by the Amsterdam Dry Dock Company and took three months to complete. Accommodation was reduced to 1,210 passengers. Three luxury suites were added, as well as a nightclub, cinema, gift shop, promenade lounge and second swimming pool. All public rooms were refinished and restored. The main mast was relocated to atop the bridge, and the decks were extended aft. Her funnels were heightened, given rounded tops and painted yellow and black. Her black hull was re-painted gray. 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... A nightclub (often dance club or club, particularly in the UK) is an entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark. ... Cinema can refer to: the medium of film, i. ... 50 meter indoor swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, or wading pool is an artificially enclosed body of water intended for recreational or competitive swimming, or for other bathing activities that do not involve swimming, i. ... A mast is a pole which holds a sail of a boat, see mast (sailing). ... Command bridge of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier Bridge of the brigantine LEtoile The bridge of a ship is an area or room where the ships navigational controls and other essential equipment related to ship operations are housed and operated. ... A hull is: the outer covering of a fruit or vegetable, may also be called a husk the body or frame of a ship; see hull (ship) Several places in the world are called Hull: Kingston upon Hull - a city in England usually referred to as simply Hull. ...

The ship was assigned to her new port, Southampton, England, on April 2, 1959. She offered round-the-world service, making stops in Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda and New York City. She was now marketed as a cruise ship, instead of a passenger liner. This page discusses the English city of Southampton. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Religion... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Bermuda is an internally self-governing island Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, situated in the Atlantic Ocean. ... Legend of the Seas moored at San Diego, California A cruise ship, or less commonly cruise liner, is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the amenities of the ship are considered an essential part of the experience. ...

The Johan van Oldenbarnevelt left on her last round-the-world voyage for the Netherland Line on June 30, 1962. She arrived in Sydney, Australia on February 3, 1963 and was decommissioned by the Netherland Line that day, ending a 33-year career for that shipping line. She then sailed for Genoa, Italy, and arrived on March 7, 1963. June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 184 days remaining. ... 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... This is about the city of Sydney in Australia. ... Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is the sixth-largest country in the world, the only country to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia/Oceania. ... February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events January-February January 11 - The Whisky A Go-Go night club in Los Angeles, the first disco in the USA, is opened. ... Alternate uses, see Genoa (disambiguation). ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... March 7 is the 66th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (67th in Leap years). ...

As Lakonia

The Lakonia at her port in Southampton

On March 8, 1963, the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was sold to the General Steam Navigation Company. Her decks and public rooms were re-named and the aft swimming pool was enlarged. Twelve additional cabins were built, and air conditioning was installed throughout the ship. Her hull was painted white, and her weight grew to 20,314 tons. Most importantly, the ship's name was changed to TSMS Lakonia. March 8 is the 67th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (68th in Leap years). ... Note: in the broadest sense, air conditioning can refer to any form of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning. ...

The ship was operated by the Ormos Shipping Company (also known as the Greek Line) and offered service from Southampton to the Canary Islands. She departed Southampton on her first voyage as Lakonia on April 24, 1963. She proved immensely popular, and the Greek Line planned 27 cruises for 1964. From December 9 to December 13, 1963, she underwent another minor upgrade. A new pneumatic fuel injection system was installed. Cabins were redecorated, and the kitchen and pantry were completely remodeled. Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... Capitals Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Santa Cruz de Tenerife Area  – Total  – % of Spain Ranked 13th  7 447 km  1,5% Population  – Total (2003)  – % of Spain  – Density Ranked 8th  1 843 755  4,4%  247,58/km Demonym  – English  – Spanish Canary Islander canario/a Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... 1964 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Fuel injection is a technology used in internal combustion engines to mix the fuel with air prior to combustion. ... A kitchen is a room used for food preparation. ...

The Lakonia was outfitted with a number of safety features. She carried 24 lifeboats capable of holding 1,455 people. The ship had an automatic fire alarm system and two fire stations with specialized firefighting equipment. There were lifejackets for every person on board and an extra 400 stowed on deck. Residential ceiling-mounted smoke detector A smoke detector is a safety device that detects airborne smoke and issues an audible alarm, thereby alerting nearby people to the danger of fire. ... A lifejacket is an article of protective clothing that is designed to keep the wearer floating above the surface of the water. ...

In addition to Lakonia, the Greek Line also operated the larger Arkadia and Olympia.

The Fire

Aerial photo of the Lakonia burning

The Lakonia departed Southampton on December 19, 1963 for an 11-day "Christmas Cruise" of the Canary Islands. Her first scheduled stop was to be the island of Madeira. There were 646 passengers and 376 crewmen on board: a total of 1,022 people. All but 21 of the passengers were British citizens, and the crew members were mostly Greek and German. The captain of the Lakonia was 53-year-old Mathios Zarbis. December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses of the word, see Madeira (disambiguation) Madeira Islands location. ... Great Britain - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

The crew had conducted a boat drill a week before, and the ship passed a safety inspection by the British Ministry of Transport 24 hours prior to sailing. The ship carried a Greek certificate of seaworthiness. Passengers participated in a boat drill on December 20. December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The first three days of the cruise were uneventful. Passengers played shuffleboard and deck tennis by day and enjoyed banquets and dances by night. The cruise brochure promised "absolute freedom from worry and responsibility." Shuffleboard is a game where players push a small disk in a narrow elongated play area with the purpose of positioning it within a marked area. ... Tennis is a racquet sport played between either two players (singles) or two teams of two players (doubles). Player(s) use a stringed racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball over a net into the opponents court. ...

At around 11:00 p.m. on December 22, a steward noticed thick smoke seeping under the door of the ship's hairdressing salon. Upon opening the door, he found the room completely ablaze, and the fire rushed into the hallway toward the staterooms. He and another steward attempted to fight the flames with fire extinguishers, but the fire was spreading too fast to be contained. One of the men ran to notify the ship's purser, Antonio Bogetti. December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The terms steward or stewardess can refer to a number of different professional roles. ... A place where one goes to get their hair cut, as well as styled, highlighted or coloured. ... Fire extinguisher A fire extinguisher is a device used to put out a fire, often in an emergency situation. ... A ships purser, or just purser is the person on a ship responsible for the handling of money on board. ...

Fire alarms sounded, but too softly to be heard by most passengers. "The fire alarm bell was so weak that it sounded like someone calling the waiter to ask for tea," one survivor later told reporters. An alarm went off on the bridge, pinpointing the fire’s location. The ship was 180 miles north of Madeira and 550 miles northwest of Casablanca, Morocco. For the 1942 film, see Casablanca (movie). ... The Kingdom of Morocco is a country in northwest Africa. ...

A helicopter from the HMS Centaur passes the burning Lakonia

At the time the blaze was discovered, most of the passengers were in the ship's ballroom, called the Lakonia Room, dancing at the "Tropical Tramps' Ball." Passengers began to notice the smell of smoke, but most dismissed it as strong cigar smoke. Captain Zarbis, who had been notified of the fire, attempted to make an announcement on the ship's intercom system, but it had been disabled by the blaze. As smoke began to fill the ballroom at about 11:30, the band stopped playing and the cruise director ushered the frightened passengers to the boat deck. The upper deck was ablaze within 10 minutes. A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated puprose of which is holding dances (balls). ... Corona cigar A cigar is a tightly rolled bundle of tobacco leaves that have already been dried and fermented, which is lit for the purpose of inhaling (or merely drawing into the mouth rather than into the lungs) its smoke (see tobacco smoking). ...

Many of the passengers who had been asleep in their cabins found themselves unable to escape the fire. Some passengers were told to go to the main dining room to await instructions, but most ignored this order, since the dining room lay directly in the path of the fire. A dining room is a room for eating. ...

At 11:30 p.m., the ship's chief radio officer Antonios Kalogridis sent out the first distress call: "Fire spreading up. Prepare evacuation on ship." At midnight, a second distress call was sent out: "We are leaving the ship. Please immediately give us assistance. Please help us." Kalogridis sent out the last call at 12:22 a.m., just before the wireless room caught fire: "SOS from Lakonia, last time. I cannot stay anymore in the wireless station. We are leaving the ship. Please immediate assistance. Please help."

A six-man fire crew attempted to fight the blaze, but the fire spread too quickly to be contained. The pressure boilers began to explode, filling the rooms and hallways with thick, black smoke, and the suffocating passengers were forced on deck. The ship's purser gave the order to abandon ship shortly before 1:00 a.m. Dazed passengers made their way to the lifeboats, some in their pajamas and others still wearing their jewels and eveningwear. A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated under pressure. ... Jewellery (spelled jewelry in American English) consists of ornamental devices worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals. ...

A few crew members went below decks to try to save passengers from their burning cabins. The ship's swimming pool attendant and a steward lowered themselves over the side of the ship by rope to pull trapped people from portholes.

The Lakonia develops a starboard list

Evacuation of the ship was extremely difficult. Some lifeboats burned before they could be lowered. Two of the lifeboats were swamped, spilling their occupants into the sea; one when it was lowered only by one end, and the other when its davits broke off. Chains had rusted in many of the davits, making boats difficult or impossible to move. In the end, just over half of the lifeboats made it safely away from the Lakonia, some of them less than half full. Several people who dove overboard struck the side of the ship on the way down, killing them before they hit the water.

Passengers were angered when the wireless operator left the ship in a launch with a nurse and two musicians. Kalogridis later testified that he had left to rescue people from the water. He did not return to the ship because the current pushed the launch away, he explained. Passengers also claimed that some of the crewmen took advantage of the chaos to loot staterooms. A nurse is a health care professional, who is engaged in the practice of nursing. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... Looting is theft, taking advantage of special conditions such as a disaster, war, evacuation or blackout. ...

When all of the boats were away, there were still people adrift in the water and over 100 people left on board the burning ship. The Lakonia continued to burn fiercely and was rocked by violent explosions. Those who remained on board flocked to the glass-enclosed Agora Shopping Center at the stern of the ship. After several hours, the flames closed in on them, and they were forced to descend ropes and rope ladders into the ocean. The port and starboard ladders were lowered as well, and people walked down the ladders single file into the sea. Gasoline explosions, simulating bomb drops at an airshow. ... A ladder Missing image A portable ladder A ladder is a vertical set of steps. ...

The Salta, the first rescue ship to arrive

At 3:30 a.m., four hours after the first distress call, the 492-foot Argentinean passenger ship Salta arrived on the scene. The Salta, under the command of Captain José Barrere, had been on its way from Genoa, Italy to Buenos Aires. The 440-foot British tanker Montcalm arrived half an hour later at 4:00 a.m. The majority of the survivors were saved by these two ships. The Salta rescued 475 people and took aboard most of Lakonia's lifeboats. Argentina is a country in southern South America, situated between the Andes in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east. ... Buenos Aires (Good Winds in Spanish, but more akin to Fair Winds, as in navigation) is the capital of Argentina and its largest city and port, as well as one of the largest cities in South America. ...

In the hours that followed, the Belgian ship Charlesville, the Brazilian freighter Rio Grande, the British passenger ship Stratheden and the Panamanian ship Mehdi all arrived to take part in the rescue. Each of the rescue vessels dispatched boats to pluck survivors from the water. Also, four United States Air Force C-54 rescue planes were sent from the Lajes Air Base in the Azores. The planes dropped flares, lifejackets, life rafts and survival kits to people in the water. The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. ... The Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the world. ... Cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship that carries goods and materials from one port to another. ... Panama (Spanish: Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... Flag of Azores Shaded relief map of the Azores from 1975 The Azores ( Portuguese: Açores) are an archipelago of Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,500 km from Lisbon and about 3,900 km from the east coast of North America. ...

The scorched Lakonia under tow

Rescue efforts were hindered by the fact that the Lakonia drifted for several miles during the evacuation. People in the water were dispersed over a 2 – 3 mile area. Also, rescue ships were reluctant to get too near the Lakonia; there was a constant risk that the ship's 500 tons of fuel oil would explode. Oil is a generic term for organic liquids that are not miscible with water. ...

A lifeboat was dispatched from the Charlesville shortly after daybreak to rescue Captain Zarbis, who was spotted pacing the decks of the still-burning ship. Zarbis was the last person to leave the Lakonia alive.

Most of the survivors were transported to Madeira, while others, including Captain Zarbis, were taken to Casablanca.

The Aftermath

A total of 128 people died in the Lakonia disaster, of which 95 were passengers and 33 were crew members. Only 53 people were killed in the actual fire. The rest died from exposure, drowning and injuries sustained while diving overboard. Exposure can be: A condition of poor health or death resulting from prolonged exposure to weather radiation poisoning Exposure of the skin to sunshine, etc. ... Drowning is death due to asphyxia caused by immersion in fluid, usually water. ...

The Lakonia begins to keel over

Crewmen from the British aircraft carrier HMS Centaur were able to board the Lakonia on December 24, once the flames had died down. Most of the bodies were recovered by the crew of the Centaur. By this time, the Lakonia was a charred, smoking hulk. Her superstructure had partially collapsed amidships, and the bridge and aft decks had caved in. There were holes blasted near the bow, and the ship was listing 10 degrees to starboard. December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ... Starboard is the nautical term (used on boats and ships) that refers to the right side of a vessel, as perceived by a person facing forward (i. ...

The Norwegian tugboat Herkules attached a tow line to the Lakonia at 5:30 p.m. on December 24. The Herkules, along with the Portuguese tugboat Praia da Adraga and two other tugs, set off for the British base at Gibraltar with the Lakonia in tow. Her list grew more severe each day, and at about 2:00 p.m. on December 29, the Lakonia rolled over onto her starboard side. She sank stern-first in only three minutes. The ship went down 230 miles southwest of Lisbon, Portugal and 250 miles west of Gibraltar. Norway - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... See Tug (disambiguation) for alternative meanings of tug. ... Motto: Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti (Latin: Conquered By No Enemy) Languages English (official), an English-influenced Spanish dialect called Llanito is also spoken Capital (Gibraltar) Coordinates 36°07′ N 5°21′ W Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis Richards Chief Minister Peter Caruana Area  - Total  - % water not ranked (192 if... December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 2 days remaining. ... Lisbon (in Portuguese, Lisboa) is the capital and largest city of Portugal. ... The Republic of Portugal (Portuguese: República Portuguesa) is a democratic republic located on the west and southwest parts of the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe, the westernmost country in continental Europe. ...

The Investigation

January 3, 1964 issue of LIFE Magazine

The Greek Merchant Marine Ministry launched a two-year investigation into the Lakonia disaster. The board of inquiry maintained that the Lakonia never should have passed safety inspections before sailing. Lifeboat davits were rusted and lockers containing lifesaving equipment failed to open. The drain holes in many lifeboats were without stoppers, so that passengers had to constantly bail water. Drain can refer to: A tube used to drain pus or other fluids from a wound. ...

While a lifeboat drill had been conducted by the crew a week before the fateful voyage, only five of the boats had been lowered in the drill. All of the boats should have been tested, the board argued.

Charges of looting were dropped after extensive questioning. The crewmen maintained that they had only broken into cabins to search for extra lifejackets.

The board of inquiry issued a number of other charges. The order to abandon ship was given too late. Operations on deck were not supervised by responsible officers. The crew, despite a few cases of self-sacrifice, failed to rescue sleeping passengers from their cabins below decks. Any holder of an office or of a post may bear the title officer. ...

Eight of the Lakonia's officers were charged with negligence. Captain Zarbis, his first officer and the ship’s security officer were charged with gross negligence. The other five men were charged with simple negligence. Manufacturers are reponsible for adequately warning consumers of possibly dangerous products. ...

The cause of the fire was ultimately determined to be a short circuit of faulty electrical wiring. For alternate meanings see Short circuit (disambiguation) A short circuit (sometimes known as simply a short) is a fault whereby electricity moves through a circuit in an unintended path, usually due to a connection forming where none was expected. ... Electrical wiring in general refers to conductors used to carry electricity and their accessories. ...

See Also

• List of ship and ferry disasters

This is a list of world disasters, both natural and man-made. ...

External Link

• History of the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (http://www.ssmaritime.com/jvoch1.htm)