Wreck of MV Blythe Star Found Off Tasmania

An investigation by Australian research organisation CSIRO’s research vessel RV Investigator has confirmed the location of the wreck of the MV Blythe Star.

The 44-metre motor vessel Blythe Star was a coastal freighter that disappeared off Tasmania nearly 50 years ago. The vessel was travelling from Hobart to King Island with a cargo of superphosphate fertiliser and a ton of beer in kegs when, on October 13, 1973, it suddenly capsized and sank off the southwest coast of Tasmania – possibly as a result of a ballasting error.

All 10 crew members were able to escape the sinking vessel into an inflatable life raft. Three crew members died before the survivors were able to find help and be rescued 12 days later.

The disappearance of the MV Blythe Star sparked the largest maritime search ever conducted in Australia to that time. No trace of the vessel was ever found.

The wreck is located approximately 10.5 kilometers (6.5 miles) west of South West Cape, Tasmania, and lies in 150 metres of water. The vessel is intact and sitting upright on the seafloor, with its bow pointing northwest. The wreck was covered with a minimal growth of algae and seaweed, and some structures showed signs of damage, particularly on the stern. Most notably, the vessel's wheelhouse is no longer present.

The outcomes of the discovery project have been shared with key stakeholders including members of the Blythe Star Memorial Group, which will hold an event in Hobart during October this year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tragedy.