Lot 772
The Greek Line Cruise ship "Lakonia" caught fire on 22nd December 1963, four days into an 11 day Christmas Cruise, which had departed Southampton and was heading to Madeira. Claiming the lives of 128 people (95 passengers and 33 crew) although more than half of those died from jumping into the sea, exposure or failing to escape the lower decks, rather than the fire itself. It remains one of the worst peace time maritime disasters in living memory.
