MV Holmglen

M.V. Holmglen II was a steel hull coastal trader built in 1956 by Maartenshoek, Netherlands based shipyard Bodewes Scheepswerven for the Holm Shipping Company of New Zealand.

It was 485 gross tons, max speed 9 knots powered by four diesel engines.

On November 23, 1959, the ship left Dunedin, New Zealand for Wanganui via Wellington, under the command of Captain Edward Joseph Eugene Regnaud. The next day, on the evening of November 24, a Mayday call from Holmglen was received by the Taiaroa Head Signal and Radio Station.

A voice believed to be that of the Captain reported, "am heeling heavily to port ....accommodation awash .... preparing to launch boat." The message was acknowledged by Taiaroa and answered by Holmglen who said to standby for further, but this was the last communication and she was not heard from again.

A sea and air search was conducted and the wreck of Holmglen was found by the Holmburn (another Holm Shipping Company vessel), who saw an oil slick and then used sonar to locate the exact position which was later confirmed by the Royal New Zealand Navy using underwater video, and afterwards divers. She lies in 30 fathoms of water about 22 miles south east of Timaru.

All 15 lives were lost. Despite an investigation by Maritime New Zealand, the exact cause of the sinking was never discovered.

Blenheim dive master Kevin Bailey died while diving the wreck on 10 November 2008.

Further reading

• New Zealand Shipwrecks - C.W.N. Ingram (Reed Publishers)
• New Zealand Tragedies, Shipwrecks and Maritime Disasters - Gavin McLean 1991 Grantham House Publishing
• The Wreck Book, Rediscovered Shipwrecks - Steve Locker-Lampson & Ian Francis 1994 Halcyon Publishing
• New Zealand National Archives - Archives Reference: ABPL 7464 Volume 4
• Archives M 1 13/2860 Holmglen foundering missing from Archives
• Nelson Evening Mail - November/December 1959