After this collision, the PACIFIC GLORY was 'beached' in Sandown Bay where much of the cargo was removed by Shell's HALIA. After refloating, the PACIFIC GLORY was towed to Lyme Bay by the Dutch tugs, with the NOORDZEE the lead tug, and temporary repairs were effected to allow her to be towed to Rotterdam. Amongst the fatalities was the Deep Sea Pilot who boarded earlier on the collision day at Brixham. During her repairs at Rotterdam, I believe that a further explosion occurred with yet more tragic fatalities.

Interesting to note the state of the paintwork considering the ship was only one year old at the time of this photo.

Hazy memory tells me that the ALLEGRO/PACIFIC GLORY incident precipitated the building and stationing of the two big SA tugs in Cape Town.

In the early hours of the morning after this photo was taken I was awakened (in Maassluis) by an explosion aboard the Panama-flagged tanker AGUA CLARA, which can be seen on the extreme right of the photo. The explosion punched a 45m x 15m hole in port side the hull. Buildings in the immediate area were badly damaged and six workers were killed plus 12 others injured, seven seriously. The ship was tank cleaning at the time.

R.I.P. all those who were killed.

Memories...
On 23 October 1970 at 9pm the steam tanker ALLEGRO, loaded with 100.000 tonnes of Libyan crude oil, collided with PACIFIC GLORY (IMO 6611033) sailing from Nigeria to Rotterdam with a load of 70.000 tonnes of Nigerian crude oil.
An explosion occurred on PACIFIC GLORY generating a fire.
13 of the 42 crew members from PACIFIC GLORY were killed in the incident !
ALLEGRO managed to continue her route to Fawley (near Southampton)