Radio Caroline sinking anniversary

Just passed without much comment or rememberance was the 26th anniversary of the sinking of the Radio Caroline ship Mi Amigo. On the 20th March 1980 the poor old girl got into difficulties in a storm, and in huge waves started taking on water. Almost unbelievebly the crew managed to stay on air for most of the evening.

In the huge seas the elderly hull took a hell of a beating on the seabed. Eventually, with the pumps failing to stem the flow the crew were forced to give up and with lifeboat “Helen Turnbull” standing by, the crew shut down the station. The last words ever transmitted off the Mi Amigo were from DJ’s Tom Anderson and Steve Gordon.

‘It’s not a very good occasion really, we have to hurry this because the lifeboat is waiting. We’re not leaving and disappearing, we’re going into the lifeboat hoping that the pumps can take it, if so, we’ll be back, if not, well we really don’t like to say it. I’m sure we’ll be back one way or another. For the moment from all of us, goodbye and God Bless…..’

A few minutes after the crew were rescued the sea water reached the generators, the pumps stopped and Mi Amigo sank……