Celebrating Lifesavers at Sea: Meet Andrea Doria survivors, board lifeboat

“Celebrating Lifesavers at Sea” commemorates the 68th Anniversary of a famous shipwreck, dubbed "the most catastrophic collision in maritime history." On July 25–26, 1956, the MS Stockholm rammed and sank the SS Andrea Doria, a luxury Italian ocean liner, near Nantucket Island. Fortunately, this horrific disaster turned into "the greatest sea rescue in peacetime," as a massive lifesaving response —which included communications assistance from Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 — saved 1,644 passengers. In this three-day multifaceted event at three Boston locations, we will observe the anniversary of this shipwreck and the heroic crews who turned this nighttime disaster into a legendary lifesaving operation. The event begins at the New England Aquarium Simons Theatre on July 24 with an Opening Reception and Presentations (hearty hors d’oeuvres, live music, cash bar), with guest speakers including 1956 Andrea Doria survivors telling their harrowing rescue stories 68 years later, as well as deep-sea divers who have explored the shipwreck 250 feet below the surface, known as the “Mt. Everest of Shipwreck Diving”; also a collection of rare historic artifacts recovered from the sunken luxury Italian ocean liner (see OPENING RECEPTION tickets: $75). On July 25–26, the event features numerous free activities on Boston Harbor including a memorial service, a Search and Rescue (SAR) demonstration by the U.S. Coast Guard, displays of Andrea Doria artifacts and underwater exploration equipment, and the opportunity to board Andrea Doria Lifeboat No. 1 while secured to the dock. It also features a once-in-a-lifetime experience — a harbor excursion on the lifeboat, with passengers experiencing what it was like at sea, manually propelling one of the Andrea Doria’s actual lifeboats, fortunately with the absence of the horrific conditions its passengers experienced during the 1956 tragedy (see PREMIUM PACKAGE: $200; includes lifeboat excursion and OPENING RECEPTION). NOTE: Tickets are not refundable unless organizer cancels event.

Host or Publisher United States Lightship Museum: Nantucket LV-112