MS Mikhail Lermontov

MS Mikhail Lermontov was a Soviet ocean liner owned by the Soviet Baltic Shipping Company. Named after the Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov, the ship was built in 1972 by Mathias-Thesen Werft, East Germany and was later operated by Cunard Line.

Design and Construction

The MS Mikhail Lermontov was designed as a transatlantic liner and was the last of the five Ivan Franko-class ships to be built. The ship was constructed by the Mathias-Thesen Werft shipyard in Wismar, East Germany. The ship was launched on 14th February 1972 and was completed later that year.

Service

The MS Mikhail Lermontov began service in 1972, operating on the Leningrad-Montreal route. In 1974, the ship was transferred to the Baltic Shipping Company and began operating on the Leningrad-Sydney route. In 1981, the ship was chartered to the Cunard Line and was used for cruising.

Sinking

On 16th February 1986, the MS Mikhail Lermontov ran aground on rocks near Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand and sank. Of the 743 passengers and crew on board, one crew member died.

Aftermath

The sinking of the MS Mikhail Lermontov is considered one of the worst maritime disasters in New Zealand's history. The ship remains on the seabed of the Marlborough Sounds, where it is a popular site for divers.

See also

• List of ocean liners
• List of shipwrecks in 1986
• Maritime disasters