Plaque is unveiled at the Hovercraft Museum in Lee-on-the-Solent in memory of the 14 people who died in oil tanker Pacific Glory disaster

A PLAQUE has been unveiled in memory of 14 people who died saving the south coast from an environmental disaster after a huge oil tanker collision.
The plaque at the Hovercraft Museum in memory of 14 people who died during the oil tanker Pacific Glory disaster in 1970. 
Brian Mansbridge. former pilot of the hovercraft, and Chas McGill, firefighter who was one of the first on scene from Southampton and is still serving today 55 years after joining up.The plaque at the Hovercraft Museum in memory of 14 people who died during the oil tanker Pacific Glory disaster in 1970. 
Brian Mansbridge. former pilot of the hovercraft, and Chas McGill, firefighter who was one of the first on scene from Southampton and is still serving today 55 years after joining up.
The plaque at the Hovercraft Museum in memory of 14 people who died during the oil tanker Pacific Glory disaster in 1970. Brian Mansbridge. former pilot of the hovercraft, and Chas McGill, firefighter who was one of the first on scene from Southampton and is still serving today 55 years after joining up.

On October 23, 1970 the oil tanker Pacific Glory was involved in a collision off the Isle of Wight which resulted in a massive explosion and fire.

The 44-hour battle to extinguish the fire and three week salvage operation saved the south coast from an environmental catastrophe, but 14 of the ship's crew were killed.

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Now one of the three hovercraft that were instrumental to the rescue efforts hosts a memorial plaque to those events 51 years ago, unveiled by one of the firefighters who was there.

The plaque at the Hovercraft Museum in memory of 14 people who died during the oil tanker Pacific Glory disaster in 1970. Historian 
Richard Jones. The plaque at the Hovercraft Museum in memory of 14 people who died during the oil tanker Pacific Glory disaster in 1970. Historian 
Richard Jones.
The plaque at the Hovercraft Museum in memory of 14 people who died during the oil tanker Pacific Glory disaster in 1970. Historian Richard Jones.
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The hovercraft, an ex military XW255, now resides at the Hovercraft Museum in Marine Parade West, in Lee-on-the-Solent, where a special event to unveil the plaque and mark the occasion took place on Saturday.

Historian Richard Jones, who has spent the last 10 years writing about disasters and putting up memories at the museum, gave a speech at the event.

He said: ‘The event went off like a charm. I did a talk lasting around 45 minutes to an audience on the car deck of The Princess Anne hovercraft before going over to the ex military hovercraft XW255 to unveil the plaque.

The plaque at the Hovercraft Museum in memory of 14 people who died during the oil tanker Pacific Glory disaster in 1970The plaque at the Hovercraft Museum in memory of 14 people who died during the oil tanker Pacific Glory disaster in 1970
The plaque at the Hovercraft Museum in memory of 14 people who died during the oil tanker Pacific Glory disaster in 1970
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‘The two guys who pulled down the flag were ex-pilot Brian Mansbridge and firefighter Chas McGill. Brian had piloted this very craft throughout the years but not on the night of the disaster.

‘Chas had fought the fire on Pacific Glory and had been on board the craft when relief crews were swapped over during the two day fight to save the ship.’

The Hovercraft Museum is run by a charity and is open every Saturday from 10am until 4pm with more than 50 craft on display.

For more go to hovercraft-museum.org/

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