50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COLLISION AND SINKING
A Photo Essay by John McFarlane and Theodore W. Scull
ANDREA DORIA at Pier 84 North River, New York on her maiden arrival at the port, January 1953.
(Photograph John McFarlane)
Fifty years ago this month, July 25, 1956, the Italian Line luxury liner ANDREA DORIA, inbound from the Mediterranean, collided with the Swedish American liner STOCKHOLM off Nantucket. Built by Ansaldo SpA, Genoa, ANDREA DORIA measured 29,083 gross tons, had an overall length of 700 feet and width of 90 feet. Her service speed was 23 knots; driven by steam turbines and twin screws. Passenger capacity was 1,241 (218 First Class, 320 Cabin Class and 703 Tourist Class). It is unfortunate that this beautiful liner had a very short lifespan. As mentioned, on July 25, 1956, as she was approaching New York, in a fog bank, off Nantucket, ANDREA DORIA was rammed by the Swedish American liner STOCKHOLM.
ANDREA DORIA rolled over and sank just after 10 AM the next morning with the loss of over 50 lives.
The French Line's ILE-DE-FRANCE, outbound from New York, stood by and took on over 750 survivors from the sinking ANDREA DORIA and returned to New York. STOCKHOLM, with a crushed bow, limped back to New York
under her own power with over 500 survivors.
ANDREA DORIA in New York, January 1955.
(Photograph Theodore W. Scull)
Newspaper photograph of the listing liner.
(Theodore W. Scull Collection)
The final moments of ANDREA DORIA on the morning of July 26, 1956.
(Theodore W. Scull Collection)
(Statistical sources: "North Atlantic Seaway" by N.R.P.Bonsor
and "Fifty Famous Liners" by Frank O. Braynard and William H. Miller)