The Wreck of the Andrea Doria

Tom Kelly, a survivor of the Andrea Doria shipwreck, gave a presentation to the Lake Superior Elders on July 23, 2013.  The Andrea Doria was a representation of Italian national pride.  It was built with safety in mind. The wreck occurred on July 25, 1956 and was the result of one ship, the Stockholm, ramming into the Andrea Doria at the Starboard side which caused the boat to lean severely to starboard and left half of the lifeboats unusable. The efficiency of the ship’s design permitted it to stay afloat for 11 hours after it was struck.  The professional behavior of the crew, improvements in communications and the rapid response of other ships prevented a disaster of large proportions. Fifty-two people lost their lives as a result of this accident, 51 people died from the immediate impact and another person died from other causes as a result of the accident.  This incident remains the worst shipwreck disaster to occur in United States waters which surprisingly occurred only 45 miles offshore near the coast of Nantucket.  The event and its repercussions were heavily covered in the media and an investigation occurred to determine what caused the accident.

The Andrea Doria was 697 feet long and a gross register tonnage of 29,100.  It still amazes me that these massive structures can stay afloat.  The ship could reach a top speed of 26 knots.  The Andrea Doria was not the largest or the fastest vessel in the 1950s, the fastest and largest were the RMS Queen Elizabeth and the SS United States.  The famous Italian architect, Minoletti designed the ship for luxury.  Because it sailed in warmer waters, it was the first ship to be featured with three outdoor swimming pools for each class of passengers, first class, cabin class and tourist class.  The ship was capable of accommodating 1,241 passengers and 563 crew members.  The Andrea Doria was considered one of the most beautiful ocean liners of its time along with RMS Queen Elizabeth and the RMS Queen Mary. 

Because of Kelly’s details and the way he gave the presentation created an atmosphere of being there with him at the shipwreck. He explained his preparation for his rescue from getting dressed, grabbing his passport and waiting to be saved.  When he was rescued and arrived in New York they were surprised he had his passport. His passport picture was placed in one of the books that were written about this accident.  Kelly was returning to the states after attending training in Italy to become a priest.  When he reached land he was asked to give last rights to some of the survivors that were in serious physical condition.  He stated how his training provided him with preparation for handling crisis situations.  He told the audience how some of the people who were saved kept stating that they paid for first class and needed to be treated as such. 

There were several years of litigation to determine the fault. Both shipping lines contributed to a settlement for the victims.  Each line incurred it own damages caused by the accident. Both lines were insured by the same company.  An out of court settlement ended the disputes. The Swedish-American Line accrued $2 million for repairs to the Stockholm’s bow and lost business while it was being repaired.  The Italian Line accumulated $30 million in damages, the entire ship.  There were various reasons given concerning why the accident occurred:

1.       The Andrea Doria’s officers did not follow proper radar procedures.

2.      The Andrea Doria’s personnel did not follow proper “rules of the road.”

3.      Captain Calamai of the Andrea Doria was speeding through fog as was common for passenger lines.

4.      The Stockholm and Andrea Doria were experiencing different weather conditions.  Before the accident the Stockholm was not experiencing fog until it reached the area where the Andrea Doria was at.

5.      The Andrea Doria’s fuel tanks were half empty and not pumped with seawater ballast in order to stabilize the ship.  The ship was top heavy when it was struck.

6.      There was a missing watertight door between the bulkheads near the engine room, which  contributed to the Andrea Doria’s problems.

7.      The Stockholm’s navigating officer misread his radar thinking it was on a 15 mile setting when it happened to be set on a 5 mile setting.

As a result of this accident, there were several rule changes such as shipping lines were required to improve training on the use of radar equipment and approaching ships were required to make radio contact with one another.

Diving to recover artifacts from the Andrea Doria has resulted in additional loss of life.  Sixteen scuba divers have lost their lives.  Strong currents and heavy sediment can reduce visibility.  The depth is another cause.  With the wreck slowly collapsing, the top of the wreck is at 190 feet.  An invisible web of fishing lines can easily snag scuba gear. 

Several books have been written about the Andrea Doria:

Collision Course: The Story of the Collision Between the Andrea Doria and the Stockholm by Alvin Moscow

Saved: the Story of the Andrea Doria – The Greatest Rescue in History by William Hoffer

Desparate Hours:  The Epic Rescue of the Andrea Doria  by Richard Goldstein

Shadow Divers  by Robert Kurson

Alive on the Andrea Doria:  The Greatest Sea Rescue in History  by Pierette Domenica Simpson,  a survivor

Survivors went through their lives with a variety of experiences.  Kelly still remembers the crunching metal sounds.  Captain Calamai never accepted another command. He was saddened by the experience for the rest of his life.  Most of the officers returned to active duty on the sea.  Some of the survivors suffered mental health problems for years after the accident.  Others felt the experience helped them place more value on their lives, life was considered more precious.  Some of the survivors stay in touch through a newsletter and there have been reunions and memorial services.