Many people in Hong Kong will be aware of the destruction by fire of the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth in the harbour in 1972 under its new name of SEAWISE UNIVERSITY.
Less likely is recall of another ex-Cunard liner the R.M.S. MEDIA which after many changes of owners, as ex FLAVIA, FLAVIAN and LAVIA, succumbed to fire during refurbishment and rolled over after being attended to the Fire Services in the harbour in 7 January 1989. Nearly 17 years to the day after the SEAWISE UNIVERSITY ex QUEEN ELIZABETH suffered the same fate.
MEDIA was built immediately after the war as a steam turbine driven combination liner to carry premium passengers and freight. Like many such ships, its ownership trail over the years and uses made by subsequent owners were varied and convoluted.
Laid up in the early 1980s, she was a familiar site in the outer harbour and Lantau Island, the long-term anchorages for many uneconomic redundant ships in the early 1980s. Lined up close to where the airport now dominates.
After the fire and it’s capsizing the ship was ‘up-righted’, held at Kai Yi Chau Island and eventually towed to Taiwan for scrapping.