November-December 1986
THE Kowloon Bridge, which wrecked and sank on the coast of West Cork this weekend 25 years ago, was the biggest shipping disaster in European history (the control tower of the Kowloon Bridge was taller than Cork County Hall and longer than Cork city’s South Mall).
Rory Jackson, a former Irish Coastguard officer remembers the incident.
THE Hong Kong-registered Kowloon Bridge, a 264 meter oil-bulk-ore carrier loaded with 160,000 tonnes of iron ore pellets, was en-route from Canada to Scotland in November 1986, when she got into difficulties during a stormy Atlantic crossing.
On the 18th November the ship sought safety and pulled into the deep-water sanctuary of Bantry Bay.
