Tasman Bridge disaster

On the evening of 5 January 1975, the bulk carrier Lake Illawarra, travelling up the River Derwent, collided with several pylons of the Tasman Bridge in Hobart, the capital city of Australia's island state of Tasmania. This collision caused a large section of the bridge deck to collapse onto the ship and into the river below. Twelve people were killed, including seven crew on board Lake Illawarra, and the five occupants of four cars which fell 45 metres (150 ft) after driving off the bridge. Hobart was cut off from its eastern suburbs, and the loss of the road connection had a major social impact. The ship's master was officially penalised for inattention and failure to handle his vessel in a seamanlike manner.