Wahine NZ Inter Island Ferry Sinking 50th Anniversary Stamp Murray, Sharon & Sarah Major Waiting To Abandon Ship.
On 10 April 1968 the New Zealand Inter Island Ferry, the Wahine, was caught in a fierce storm and ran aground on Barrett Reef in the mouth of the Wellington harbour and capsized.
Sarah was 6 months old and on board with her parents Murray & Sharon.
Her mother Sharon threw her off the ferry down to a young 18 year old man Mike Fisher waiting below in a lifeboat.
Sharon then managed to scramble onto the lifeboat herself.
Her father Murray dropped into the water and held a rope on the side of the liferaft.
A tugboat appeared, and once again Sarah had to throw Sarah, this time up to a waiting sailor who caught her safely.
All three managed to survive.
There were 734 people on board, and 53 people died.