Bridlington author shines a light on tanker collision heroes in new book

Richard M Jones who spends his time between Bridlington and the south Hampshire coastal cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, has released ‘When Tankers Collide – The Pacific Glory Disaster’.

The book highlights heroic efforts of the emergency services, sailors and volunteers in the areas of Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight which had largely become forgotten.

Mr Jones said: “For the past five years I have meticulously researched the collision between the oil tankers Pacific Glory and Allegro which resulted in a huge explosion on the Pacific Glory, the deaths of 14 of her crew, and a battle to extinguish a blaze lasting two days.

“For the next three weeks a team of salvage experts worked hard to stabilise the burnt-out hulk, transfer her cargo across to another ship, and prepare her for a long tow to Rotterdam.

“Incredibly the mission was a success. For the first time the stories of what happened from every perspective can be told along with exclusive photos of the ship during salvage operations.”

The book is available on Amazon and Lulu.com for £13, or signed copies can be obtained by emailing [email protected].