RUNIC

BUILT BY HARLAND AND WOLFF IN 1950 AT THEIR BELFAST YARD, SHE WAS THE SISTER SHIP TO PERSIC AND SUEVIC.SHE WAS 13,500 TONS AND AT THE TIME WAS THE LARGEST REFRIGERATED VESSEL IN THE WORLD.

SHE WAS WRECKED ON MIDDLETON ROCK ON A  VOYAGE FROM BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA TO NEW ZEALAND IN 1961 AFTER GOING THROUGH THE TAIL END OF A CYCLONE,SHE WAS DOING SEVENTEEN KNOTS WHEN SHE STRUCK THE REEF, SHE RODE UP ONTO THE REEF FOR A DISTANCE OF TWENTY-FIVE METRES, BEFORE COMING TO A STOP, WITH A QUARTER OF THE LENGTH OF THE VESSEL STILL IN DEEP WATER. SHE EVENTUALLY SWUNG AROUND, ENDING UP WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE VESSEL ON THE REEF.

THE  BRITISH SHIP BRIGHTON STOOD BY FOR THREE DAYS BUT WAS IN DANGER OF GOING AGROUND HERSELF.

H.M.A.S VENDETTA AND TWO TUGS ARRIVED FROM SYDNEY TO START SALVAGE OPERATIONS.

 SHAW SAVILL & ALBIONS VESSELS ALARIC AND ILLYRIC BROUGHT MORE SALVAGE EQUIPMENT OUT TO RUNIC.

MORE ROUGH SEAS DROVE RUNIC FURTHER ONTO THE REEF AND SHE BEGAN TO FLOOD AND SALVAGE ATTEMPTS WERE ABANDONED.ANOTHER TROPICAL STORM WAS APPROACHING SO THE MASTER MADE THE DECISION TO ABANDON THE VESSEL

 WHEN  SHAW SAVILL & ALBIONS ARABIC ARRIVED SHE TOOK RUNIC'S CREW OF.THERE WAS NO LOSS OF LIFE.

RUNIC AGROUND ON MIDDLETON ROCK WITH HOPE OF RE-FLOATING HER.

THE WRECK OF RUNIC ON MIDDLETON ROCK, THE STERN SECTION LAYS SOME  DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE VESSEL.