Shortly before noon on Thursday 14 August 1986 the Netherlands Antilles flag heavy lift cargo ship ‘GABRIELLA’ capsized and sank alongside No. 2 Products Berth in Port Kembla harbour New South Wales.
The ship capsized and sank on its side very rapidly while discharging a lift of 237.95 tonnes. Two marine surveyors, Mr. David Brooke-Smith and Mr. William Martin of Bureau Veritas, of Lloyds Register of Shipping were unable to escape from the accommodation area of the ship and lost their lives. Apart from minor injuries to several persons there were no other casualties.
The ship was declared a constructive total loss. Subsequently both masts and the accommodation deck houses were cut off and the hull was re-floated upside down. It was towed out and sunk at sea on 10 December 1986 in Latitude 34° 34′.5 South, Longitude 151° 30′.8 East, about 29 nautical miles east of Port Kembla in a depth of water of about 2000 metres.
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