N.Z’s. WORST SEA DISASTER

The vast majority of New Zealanders have never heard of the Cospatrick yet it remains New Zealand’s worst maritime disaster.

The fire that engulfed the immigrant ship Cospatrick is one of the 19th century’s most horrendous tragedies and is the stuff nightmares are made of.

Cospatrick  (The Graphic 1875)

In the late 1800s, New Zealand was a popular destination for British citizens wanting to escape the harsh conditions they were experiencing at the time. Gold was being discovered at a number of places around the young colony and it seemed the perfect time to make the move across the world to a new life. Hundreds of ships made the 3 to 4 month voyage and most arrived without incident. read more