MELIKA

[Keelman]

Melika.jpg

Having decided to post this picture I looked through my record cards and was surprised to find I had no information on the ship.
The Internet however reveals that she became headline news after being in collision with the French tanker FERNAND GILABERT off the coast of Oman on September 13th 1958. Both ships caught fire resulting in twenty one fatal casualties.
In the turmoil MELIKA was abandoned but as she was still under power and on auto pilot she proceeded some twenty miles before being located by aircraft.
Ships of the ROYAL NAVY on exercise in the area ( including LOCH KILLISPORT, LOCH ALVIE, PUMA, ST BRIDES BAY and BULWARK) were heavily involved in rescue and salvage work. Subsequently BULWARK completed an 8 day tow of MELIKA to Muscat where her cargo was discharged into an RFA.
This is one of my early ship pics which I believe would have been taken on the Tyne around 1961, almost certainly when the tanker was booked for dry docking. Notice her clean upper works which are sitting on a rather tatty looking hull. I assume this is as a consequence of much remedial work following her escapade in the Gulf.
MELIKA (20,551grt) was built for Gulf Oil in 1954 by the Furness Shipbuilding Co., Haverton Hill

[Tynesider]

Nice old picture and indeed she is entering the Tyne after just coming round the bend with the fishquay aft and South Shields behind her.

She looks like one of the old 'T' class tankers to me?

Mike

[teesships]

See: http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/furness ... ka1954.htm

R.