The wreck of a long-lost vessel that went missing off the coast of Tasmania almost 50 years ago has been found, ending a maritime mystery that had investigators baffled for decades!
The MV Blythe Star, a 44-metre motor vessel, was a coastal freighter that vanished on its journey from Hobart to King Island on October 13, 1973.
The ship capsized and sank off the southwest coast of Tasmania, forcing the 10 crew members to scramble onto an inflatable life raft.
Tragically, three crew members lost their lives before the survivors were eventually rescued 12 days later on October 24, 1973.
The disappearance of the MV Blythe Star triggered the largest maritime search ever conducted in Australia up to that point, but the vessel vanished, leaving authorities and loved ones in despair.
The location of the MV Blythe Star was finally confirmed on April 12, 2023, during a 38-day research voyage led by the University of Tasmania and the CSRIO Investigator.
RV Investigator, equipped with advanced technology, was originally studying a submarine landslide off the west coast of Tasmania.
However, the voyage also included a secondary mission to investigate an unidentified shipwreck previously spotted by fishing vessels and seafloor surveys in the area.
This “piggyback” project allowed researchers to make the stunning discovery.
Using multibeam echosounders for systematic mapping and underwater camera systems for visual inspection, the RV Investigator collected mapping data and video imagery, which definitively identified the wreck as the MV Blythe Star.
The wreck lies approximately 10.5 kilometers west of South West Cape, resting at a depth of 150 meters. Astonishingly, the vessel remains intact, sitting upright on the seafloor with its bow pointing northwest.
Key features, including part of the ship’s name, “STAR,” on the bow, were identified through the underwater cameras, solidifying the identification. The wreck appeared to have minimal algae and seaweed growth, with some structural damage observed, particularly on the stern.
Researchers hope that the collected mapping and video footage will provide additional insights into the causes of the sinking.
The tragic incident of the MV Blythe Star led to a review of maritime safety laws in Australia, resulting in significant improvements in safety regulations for future mariners.
The findings from the investigation have been shared with key stakeholders, including members of the Blythe Star Memorial Group.
In October of this year, the group plans to hold an event in Hobart to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tragedy and pay tribute to those who lost their lives.
