MV Mi Amigo
Encyclopedia
The Mi Amigo was originally a three masted cargo schooner, that later gained international recognition as an offshore radio station.
She was built as the schooner
Margarethe for German owners. A sale in 1927 saw her renamed Olga and she was lengthened in 1936. During the Second World War, she was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine
and served as an auxiliary ship between 1941 and 1943.
In 1953, the ship was again lengthened to 133 in 9 in (40.77 m).
In 1959, she was sold for conversion to a floating radio station and was renamed Bon Jour. Subsequently, she was renamed Magda Maria in 1961 and Mi Amigo in 1962. She served, intermittently, as a radio ship, until 1980, when she sank in a gale.
SS Margarethe , by Deutsche Werke
, Kiel
in 1921, for Ernst Simon A.G. As constructed, she was 96 in 8 in (29.46 m) long, with a beam of 23 in 1 in (7.04 m) and a depth of 9 in 5 in (2.87 m). The overall weight being 129 tons at this time.
Simon sailed the boat around various Baltic ports carrying general cargo.
She was sold to Heinrich Koppelmann in 1927.
In 1928, she was strengthened and a four cylinder engine installed. The weight increased to 159 GRT, 97 NRT. One of her wooden masts was replaced by a steel mast. Olga had Hamburg
as her port of registry. She was allocated the Code Letters
RBGF.
In 1936, Olga was lengthened and a new Klockner-Humbolt diesel engine fitted (six cylinders of 8 inches (22 cm) diameter by 14 inches (36 cm) stroke), and the length of the boat was increased to 111 in 3 in (33.91 m), by adding a new centre section. On 5 June 1941, Olga was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine
. She served as an auxiliary ship based at Putlos.
On 18 November 1943, Olga was decommissioned and then refitted before being returned to her owner. She appears to have been de-rigged at this time, as shown by contemporary photographs. As Heinrich Koppelmann had died, ownership passed to his widow. In 1951, Olga was again lengthened.
She was sold in 1959, her new owners planned to convert her into a floating radio station. The work was carried out by Norder Werft, Hamburg, Olga arrived at Norder Werft's shipyard on 31 May 1960. Her 9570 cubic feet (271 m³) cargo hold was converted into studios. It was originally planned to install two 125 feet (38.1 m) high radio masts, but only one was installed. The ship was renamed Bon Jour about this time and she was reflagged
to Nicaragua
.
, Denmark
where the mast was installed as were two 10 kW transmitters which were manufactured by Continental Electronics
, Dallas, Texas
. The transmitters were flown in from the United States
as components and assembled in Copenhagen.
On 20 December 1960, Bon Jour departed Copenhagen bound for Stockholm
, Sweden
. During the voyage, some of the mast stays worked loose and the ship was anchored off Gotska Sandön
whilst the mast was made secure. On 23 December, Bon Jour ran into a storm. The fishing vessel Danette located her the next day and on 25 December the crew abandoned Bon Jour as they feared the mast would collapse. They were taken to Sandhamn
by pilot boat
. On 26 December, the salvage tug
Neptune took the crew back to Bon Jour. The next day, Neptune towed Bon Jour to Sandhamn. It was suggested that the ship should be taken to Lidingö
for repairs, but on arrival there it was discovered that the shipyard had closed six months previously. Repairs were carried out by the Crichton-Vulcan
shipyard, Turku
, Finland
. The work had to be done offshore as the Finnish Government applied pressure on Crichton-Vulcan not to fulfil the job.
Repairs were completed on 4 February 1961 and the ship sailed for Ornö
, Sweden, where she arrived on 6 February. That day, a storm blew up, and a loud crack was heard from the mast. Repairs to the insulators were made the next day at the Finnboda shipyard. On 21 February, Bon Jour sailed for her anchorage and began broadcasting as Radio Nord
. She was forced to return to Finnboda for further repair work after a few days. Bon Jour returned to her anchorage on 1 March, but the following day the Swedish Government passed a law enabling the confiscation of broadcasting equipment from any ship operating in Swedish waters. They also applied pressure on the Nicaraguan Government to withdraw the ships' registration. On 8 March 1961, Bon Jour started broadcasting as Radio Nord
from 58°48′05"N 18°24′05"E, in international waters off Stockholm. The programmes on Radio Nord were mostly pre-recorded. As well as supply by tender from Nynäshamn
, programme tapes and other material were got to the ship packing them in a canister which was dropped astern of Bon Jour by a light aircraft. Only one canister failed to reach the ship.
and renamed Magda Maria. On 6 December 1961, the ship was caught in a severe storm and almost foundered. The next day, she put into Sandhamn for repairs which included a broken mast stay. Her broadcasting equipment was not confiscated as it was recognised that putting into port was an emergency situation. On 8 March, Bon Jour returned to her anchorage. Radio Nord ceased broadcasting on 30 June 1962. On 4 July 1962, Magda Maria sailed for El Ferrol, Spain
where she was to undergo a refit, arriving on 2 August. Radio Nord was closed by the Swedish authorities and the ship was put up for sale. A law had been passed prohibiting Swedes from supplying offshore radio ships with stores, or from providing advertising services to the stations. This law was said to have been brought in to discourage Soviet
propaganda
ships from being based off the Swedish coast.
, where she made some test broadcasts as Radio LN on 306 metres
. Mi Amigo sailed to Oostende, Belgium
, then to Vlissingen, Netherlands
where she arrived on 11 January 1963. She departed Vlissingen on 15 January and was next reported as putting into Brest, France
on 19 January for repairs to her steering gear. On 26 January, Mi Amigo departed Brest for Galveston, Texas
where her American owners intended to convert her to a luxury yacht
. She arrived on 4 March. It is reported that Mi Amigo broadcasted for a short time whilst anchored off Galveston. Her studios were gutted and she was stripped of her broadcasting equipment in preparation for conversion to a yacht.
A proposed sale to Project Atlanta Ltd, headed by Alan Crawford was stalled due to the closure of Radio Mercur
, with financial backers reluctant to invest. It took until December 1963 before Crawford could raise the necessary finance. Mi Amigo departed Galveston on 28 December bound for Las Palmas, Spain where she arrived on 30 January 1964. On 5 February, she docked at El Ferrol for repairs to be undertaken, including work aimed at improving her stability. Mi Amigo departed El Ferrol on 15 February, bound for Corunna
, where she arrived on 28 February. She departed Corunna on 3 March, bound for Greenore
, Ireland
where a 141 feet (43 m) new radio mast was to be fitted. Late delivery of the mast meant that she did not depart Greenore for the Thames Estuary until 28 March.
On 21 April 1964, the ship was caught in a gale off Land's End
and the mast was damaged. The ship was anchored off Falmouth
whilst repairs were carried out by riggers from Portsmouth
. Mi Amigo arrived off Frinton-on-Sea
on 27 April and began broadcasting as Radio Atlanta
. These broadcasts led to complaints from the General Post Office
that communications were being affected. As a result, Panama withdrew the ship's registration on 7 May. On 2 July, Radio Atlanta merged with Radio Caroline
, with Mi Amigo broadcasting as Radio Caroline South. A new anchorage in the Thames Estuary was tried for a few days from 2 November but was unsuitable as it was too rough. Mi Amigo returned to her former position off Frinton.
On 20 January 1966, a Force 8 gale
blew up and Mi Amigos anchors broke and the ship started to drift. This went unnoticed by the crew, who were watching a programme about the singer-songwriter Donovan
, broadcasting having ended. The final song played that night had been Eve of Destruction by Barry McGuire
. Dave Lee Travis
went aloft to adjust the TV aerial and noticed that the ship was close to shore. He was also unable to see the Radio London
ship . Walton-on-the-Naze
Coastguards
were unable to raise the crew, and the tender Offshore One was sent to her aid. One of the methods of alerting the crew tried was an item on the television news. This was missed by the crew as they had turned the television off as they had lost the signal due to the ship moving from its normal position. Mi Amigo was driven ashore at Frinton-on-Sea
, Essex
and the crew were rescued by Breeches buoy
.
The crew, who included DJs Tony Blackburn
, Tom Lodge
and Graham Webb
were taken to Walton-on-the-Naze
police station where they were informed that they were classed as "shipwrecked and distressed mariners" and were entitled to free replacement clothing. A shopkeeper was persuaded to open up early so that the crew could be clothed, and accommodation was arranged in a hotel for the crew.
Attempts by the tug
Titan to refloat her were unsuccessful. On 21 January, the captain of Mi Amigo managed to refloat her by Kedging. The hull was inspected before Mi Amigo departed for Zaandam
, Netherlands with Titan in attendance. Repairs were carried out by the Zaanlandse Scheepsbouw Maatschappij. During this period, Radio Caroline South was broadcast from , which was available for sale as Radio Syd
had been closed down by the Swedish authorities. Repairs were completed on 5 April and Mi Amigo resumed broadcasting on 16 April. The next day, Radio Caroline was off the air as there had been a short circuit
in the aerial. There was a gale at the time which prevented the tender from bringing engineers to Mi Amigo. The bored DJs, including Tony Blackburn, Tony Prince
and Norman St. John managed to fix the fault themselves and the station was soon back on air. Cheeta II served as a relay station between 27 April and 1 May 1966.
On 15 August 1967, the Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967 became law, . The four DJs on board Mi Amigo at that time were Ross Brown
, Robbie Dale
, Spangles Muldoon
and Johnnie Walker
. On 3 March 1968, Titan pulled alongside Mi Amigo and Radio Caroline was ordered to close down. The crew were locked in the ship's lounge. The Offshore Supply Company seized Mi Amigo and as security for £30,000
they were owed. Both ships were towed to Amsterdam
. It was planned to use the as a replacement for Mi Amigo, but the story was leaked by newspapers and the ships owners were told that they would be summoned if the ship was used to broadcast pirate radio
.
On 29 May 1972, Mi Amigo was sold at auction
for ƒ20,000 to the Hofman Shipping Company, who had bought her on behalf of Rob Vermaat and Gerard van Dam. Although it was assumed that Mi Amigo would be scrapped, the Dutch Free Radio Organisation announced that she was to become a Free Radio Museum. The studios and cabins were restored and Mi Amigo departed Amsterdam on 2 September apparently bound for England
. The next day, she anchored of Scheveningen. During October and November, test transmissions were made which consisted only of playing music and no station identification was given. On 9 November, Spangles Muldoon spoke live on air.
A Force 11 storm on 13 November resulted in Mi Amigo losing her anchor and the mast collapsing. A makeshift aerial was erected on 30 November. Broadcasting began on 1 December, still without the DJs giving their name or using a station name. On 17 December, the name Radio 199 was used. From 22 December, the name Radio Caroline
was used. On 28 December, some of the DJs refused to work any more as they had not been paid. The next day, came alongside Mi Amigo accompanied by the tender Zeemeuw, which the striking DJs boarded. The dispute was settled and Radio Caroline resumed broadcasting.
On 30 December, Mi Amigo was towed to IJmuiden by the tender Euro Trip. Permission to enter port was initially refused as Mi Amigo had no papers. Assurances were given that port fees would be paid, and Mi Amigo was allowed to dock in Amsterdam
. Officers from the Dutch Radio Controle Dienst boarded the ship, but her transmitting equipment was not confiscated as it was incomplete. Member of the Scheepvaartinspectie declared that Mi Amigo was unseaworthy and ordered repairs to be made. At court in Haarlem
, an injunction was granted to the captain of Mi Amigo and the ship was impounded. On 1 January 1973, two tugs towed Mi Amigo to IJmuiden where the Scheepvaarinspectie ordered that a leak in the engine room was repaired, giving the crew just two hours to complete the task. Early the next day, outstanding monies were paid, and Mi Amigo was allowed to sail.
On 18 January 1973, a mayday
was broadcast by Mi Amigo at 23:50 due to a fire in the engine room. The fire was extinguished within ten minutes. On 2 April, Radio Veronica's
ship ran aground off Scheveningen, Netherlands in a storm. Mi Amigo then broadcast for Radio Veronica as well as for Caroline, with two new studios being built for the purpose. The money earned from this paid for a new radio mast. On 1 October, the new mast collapsed. A makeshift aerial was erected and the ship resumed transmission on 4 October, but ceased transmission on 18 October when the mast failed. A new 165 feet (50.3 m) high mast was completed by 24 December. On December 28, Radio Mi Amigo was broadcast from Mi Amigo. From 7 January 1974, Radio Seagull was broadcast, the name changing to Radio Caroline on 23 February.
On 29 August 1974, Mi Amigo was towed to across the North Sea
by the . She was anchored near the Kentish Knock Lightship, some 18 nautical miles (33.3 km) off the Essex coast on 30 August. At 16:30 on 8 November 1975, Mi Amigos anchor chain broke and the ship began to drift, running aground on the Longsand Head Sands. She was refloated at 19:55 but continued to drift and entered United Kingdom territorial waters at 22:03. The Coastguard was flooded with calls from listeners to Radio Caroline. The engine on Mi Amigo failed about this time. On 9 November, the ship was anchored near to the South Edinburgh Number 2 buoy. Her position was confirmed by the lighthouse tender Mermaid but she was declared to be a danger to shipping at that position. On 13 November, Mi Amigo was towed to the South Edinburgh Number 3 buoy, from where she recommenced broadcasting. The following day, Mi Amigo was boarded by police
and Home Office
officials who ordered that broadcasting be stopped. On 17 November, coastguards at North Foreland
were contacted and told that the ship had lost her main anchor. The Margate
Lifeboat
was sent to her aid and took off two crew. Mi Amigos captain was told that no tug was available to assist her. He refused an offer to return to shore. The two crew members were landed at Ramsgate
as conditions were too rough to land them at Margate. On 23 November, Mi Amigo was anchored at 51°39′42"N 1°31′52"E, some 17 nautical miles (31.5 km) off Margate.
On 10 September 1976, one studio was put out of action when a porthole
was broken by a wave, flooding the studio. At 20:30 the anchor chain broke in a Force 9 storm. Lifeboats and search and rescue
helicopter
s based at RAF Manston
were placed on standby. 02:30 on 11 September, Mi Amigo ran aground on a sandbank and was holed in two places. Broadcasting ceased as the ship was 6 feet (1.83 m) deep in water in places. The Dutch crew members were taken off the ship and landed at Oostende. Whilst there, they searched an impounded oil tanker
and found an anchor and chain, which they appropriated for use on Mi Amigo. The ship was towed clear of the sandbank on 16 September.
On 18 January 1979, Mi Amigo sprang a leak. A mayday was issued on 19 January which was received by the Thames Coastguard. Three vessels went to the aid of Mi Amigo, the May Crest, Sand Serin and Cambrai. The ship was abandoned, but later boarded and salvaged.
On 19 March 1980, Mi Amigos anchor chain broke in a Force 10 storm. She drifted for 10 nautical miles (18.5 km) before running aground on the Long Sand Bank. At 23:58, the final broadcast was made by DJs Stevie Gordon and Tom Anderson. The Sheerness
Lifeboat attended Mi Amigo and took off the crew. The ship sank on 20 March at 51°35′00"N 1°17′20"E leaving only the 127 feet (38.7 m) tall mast above the water. On 22 May, Thanet District Council
announced plans to refloat Mi Amigo and turn her into a museum ship
at Ramsgate, but the ship remained as a wreck. The mast collapsed at the end of July 1986, a fact which was reported by Trinity House
on 2 August. It was announced on 13 September that the position of the wreck of Mi Amigo was to be marked by a buoy. Mi Amigo lies in 8 feet (2.4 m) to 16 feet (4.9 m) of water.
She was built as the schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
Margarethe for German owners. A sale in 1927 saw her renamed Olga and she was lengthened in 1936. During the Second World War, she was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
and served as an auxiliary ship between 1941 and 1943.
In 1953, the ship was again lengthened to 133 in 9 in (40.77 m).
In 1959, she was sold for conversion to a floating radio station and was renamed Bon Jour. Subsequently, she was renamed Magda Maria in 1961 and Mi Amigo in 1962. She served, intermittently, as a radio ship, until 1980, when she sank in a gale.
Margarethe
The ship, was built, as a three masted schoonerSchooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
SS Margarethe , by Deutsche Werke
Deutsche Werke
Deutsche Werke was a German shipbuilding company founded in 1925 when Kaiserliche Werft Kiel and other shipyards were merged. It came as a result of the Treaty of Versailles after World War I that forced the German defence industry to shrink...
, Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
in 1921, for Ernst Simon A.G. As constructed, she was 96 in 8 in (29.46 m) long, with a beam of 23 in 1 in (7.04 m) and a depth of 9 in 5 in (2.87 m). The overall weight being 129 tons at this time.
Simon sailed the boat around various Baltic ports carrying general cargo.
She was sold to Heinrich Koppelmann in 1927.
Olga
Koppelmann renamed her Olga after his wife.In 1928, she was strengthened and a four cylinder engine installed. The weight increased to 159 GRT, 97 NRT. One of her wooden masts was replaced by a steel mast. Olga had Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
as her port of registry. She was allocated the Code Letters
Code letters
Code letters were a method of identifying ships before the introduction of modern navigation aids. Later, with the introduction of radio, code letters were also used as radio callsigns.-History:...
RBGF.
In 1936, Olga was lengthened and a new Klockner-Humbolt diesel engine fitted (six cylinders of 8 inches (22 cm) diameter by 14 inches (36 cm) stroke), and the length of the boat was increased to 111 in 3 in (33.91 m), by adding a new centre section. On 5 June 1941, Olga was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
. She served as an auxiliary ship based at Putlos.
On 18 November 1943, Olga was decommissioned and then refitted before being returned to her owner. She appears to have been de-rigged at this time, as shown by contemporary photographs. As Heinrich Koppelmann had died, ownership passed to his widow. In 1951, Olga was again lengthened.
She was sold in 1959, her new owners planned to convert her into a floating radio station. The work was carried out by Norder Werft, Hamburg, Olga arrived at Norder Werft's shipyard on 31 May 1960. Her 9570 cubic feet (271 m³) cargo hold was converted into studios. It was originally planned to install two 125 feet (38.1 m) high radio masts, but only one was installed. The ship was renamed Bon Jour about this time and she was reflagged
Flag of convenience
The term flag of convenience describes the business practice of registering a merchant ship in a sovereign state different from that of the ship's owners, and flying that state's civil ensign on the ship. Ships are registered under flags of convenience to reduce operating costs or avoid the...
to Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
.
Bon Jour
On 10 August 1960, Norder Werft received a letter informing them that it was illegal to install, repair or operate a radio station without Government permission, under a law passed in 1930. Bon Jour was then sailed to LangelinieLangelinie
Langelinie is a pier, promenade and park in central Copenhagen, Denmark, and home of the statue of The Little Mermaid. The area has for centuries been a popular destination for excursions and strolls in Copenhagen...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
where the mast was installed as were two 10 kW transmitters which were manufactured by Continental Electronics
Continental Electronics
Continental Electronics is a major American manufacturer of broadcast and military radio transmitters, based in Dallas, Texas. Although Continental today is best known for its FM, shortwave, and military VLF transmitters, Continental is most significant historically for its line of mediumwave ...
, Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. The transmitters were flown in from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as components and assembled in Copenhagen.
On 20 December 1960, Bon Jour departed Copenhagen bound for Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. During the voyage, some of the mast stays worked loose and the ship was anchored off Gotska Sandön
Gotska Sandön
Gotska Sandön is an uninhabited Swedish island in the Baltic Sea, situated some 38 kilometres north of Fårö. It is approximately 9 kilometres long and 6 kilometres wide, and its area is approximately 36 km²....
whilst the mast was made secure. On 23 December, Bon Jour ran into a storm. The fishing vessel Danette located her the next day and on 25 December the crew abandoned Bon Jour as they feared the mast would collapse. They were taken to Sandhamn
Sandhamn
Sandhamn is a small settlement in the central-peripheral part of the Stockholm Archipelago in central-eastern Sweden, approximately 50 km east of Stockholm...
by pilot boat
Pilot boat
A Pilot Boat is a type of boat used to transport pilots between land and the inbound or outbound ships that they are piloting.-History:The origins of the word pilot probably disseminates from the Latin word pilota, a variation of pedota, the plural of pēdón which translates as oar...
. On 26 December, the salvage tug
Salvage tug
A salvage tug is a specialized type of tugboat which is used to rescue or marine salvage ships which are in distress or in danger of sinking, or which have already sunk or run aground....
Neptune took the crew back to Bon Jour. The next day, Neptune towed Bon Jour to Sandhamn. It was suggested that the ship should be taken to Lidingö
Lidingö
Lidingö is an island in the inner Stockholm archipelago, located north east of central Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. It is also the seat of Lidingö Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 44,000 inhabitants in 2011....
for repairs, but on arrival there it was discovered that the shipyard had closed six months previously. Repairs were carried out by the Crichton-Vulcan
Crichton-Vulcan
Crichton-Vulcan is an abandoned shipyard in Turku, Finland that once formed the cornerstone of the Finnish shipbuilding industry. The shipyard is best known for the World War II coastal defence ships and submarines it produced....
shipyard, Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The work had to be done offshore as the Finnish Government applied pressure on Crichton-Vulcan not to fulfil the job.
Repairs were completed on 4 February 1961 and the ship sailed for Ornö
Ornö
Ornö is the largest island in the southern half of the Stockholm archipelago, situated just north of the island of Utö. It belongs to the municipality of Haninge. The island is approx. 15 km long and 3–4 km wide....
, Sweden, where she arrived on 6 February. That day, a storm blew up, and a loud crack was heard from the mast. Repairs to the insulators were made the next day at the Finnboda shipyard. On 21 February, Bon Jour sailed for her anchorage and began broadcasting as Radio Nord
Radio Nord
Radio Nord was a Swedish offshore commercial station that operated briefly from 8 March 1961 to 30 June 1962 from a ship anchored in international waters of the Baltic Sea off Stockholm, Sweden. While the station was dubbed as a pirate radio station, its actual operation took place within the laws...
. She was forced to return to Finnboda for further repair work after a few days. Bon Jour returned to her anchorage on 1 March, but the following day the Swedish Government passed a law enabling the confiscation of broadcasting equipment from any ship operating in Swedish waters. They also applied pressure on the Nicaraguan Government to withdraw the ships' registration. On 8 March 1961, Bon Jour started broadcasting as Radio Nord
Radio Nord
Radio Nord was a Swedish offshore commercial station that operated briefly from 8 March 1961 to 30 June 1962 from a ship anchored in international waters of the Baltic Sea off Stockholm, Sweden. While the station was dubbed as a pirate radio station, its actual operation took place within the laws...
from 58°48′05"N 18°24′05"E, in international waters off Stockholm. The programmes on Radio Nord were mostly pre-recorded. As well as supply by tender from Nynäshamn
Nynäshamn
- References :...
, programme tapes and other material were got to the ship packing them in a canister which was dropped astern of Bon Jour by a light aircraft. Only one canister failed to reach the ship.
Magda Maria
Bon Jour was reflagged to PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and renamed Magda Maria. On 6 December 1961, the ship was caught in a severe storm and almost foundered. The next day, she put into Sandhamn for repairs which included a broken mast stay. Her broadcasting equipment was not confiscated as it was recognised that putting into port was an emergency situation. On 8 March, Bon Jour returned to her anchorage. Radio Nord ceased broadcasting on 30 June 1962. On 4 July 1962, Magda Maria sailed for El Ferrol, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
where she was to undergo a refit, arriving on 2 August. Radio Nord was closed by the Swedish authorities and the ship was put up for sale. A law had been passed prohibiting Swedes from supplying offshore radio ships with stores, or from providing advertising services to the stations. This law was said to have been brought in to discourage Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
ships from being based off the Swedish coast.
Mi Amigo
Bon Jour was renamed Mi Amigo. She departed El Ferrol on 14 September 1962 bound for the Thames EstuaryThames Estuary
The Thames Mouth is the estuary in which the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea.It is not easy to define the limits of the estuary, although physically the head of Sea Reach, near Canvey Island on the Essex shore is probably the western boundary...
, where she made some test broadcasts as Radio LN on 306 metres
Medium frequency
Medium frequency refers to radio frequencies in the range of 300 kHz to 3 MHz. Part of this band is the medium wave AM broadcast band. The MF band is also known as the hectometer band or hectometer wave as the wavelengths range from ten down to one hectometers...
. Mi Amigo sailed to Oostende, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, then to Vlissingen, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
where she arrived on 11 January 1963. She departed Vlissingen on 15 January and was next reported as putting into Brest, France
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
on 19 January for repairs to her steering gear. On 26 January, Mi Amigo departed Brest for Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
where her American owners intended to convert her to a luxury yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
. She arrived on 4 March. It is reported that Mi Amigo broadcasted for a short time whilst anchored off Galveston. Her studios were gutted and she was stripped of her broadcasting equipment in preparation for conversion to a yacht.
A proposed sale to Project Atlanta Ltd, headed by Alan Crawford was stalled due to the closure of Radio Mercur
Radio Mercur
Radio Mercur was a Danish offshore broadcasting commercial radio station. Started regular transmission on August 2nd 1958 and ceased officially on July 31st 1962, though there still were 3 days of illegal transmissions from August 13-15 1962...
, with financial backers reluctant to invest. It took until December 1963 before Crawford could raise the necessary finance. Mi Amigo departed Galveston on 28 December bound for Las Palmas, Spain where she arrived on 30 January 1964. On 5 February, she docked at El Ferrol for repairs to be undertaken, including work aimed at improving her stability. Mi Amigo departed El Ferrol on 15 February, bound for Corunna
A Coruña
A Coruña or La Coruña is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. It is the second-largest city in the autonomous community and seventeenth overall in the country...
, where she arrived on 28 February. She departed Corunna on 3 March, bound for Greenore
Greenore
Greenore is a small town, townland and deep water port on Carlingford Lough in County Louth, Ireland. The population of Greenore and the surrounding rural area was 898 in the 2002 Irish census....
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
where a 141 feet (43 m) new radio mast was to be fitted. Late delivery of the mast meant that she did not depart Greenore for the Thames Estuary until 28 March.
On 21 April 1964, the ship was caught in a gale off Land's End
Land's End
Land's End is a headland and small settlement in west Cornwall, England, within the United Kingdom. It is located on the Penwith peninsula approximately eight miles west-southwest of Penzance....
and the mast was damaged. The ship was anchored off Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
whilst repairs were carried out by riggers from Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. Mi Amigo arrived off Frinton-on-Sea
Frinton-on-Sea
Frinton-on-Sea is a small seaside town in the Tendring District of Essex, England. It is part of the Parish of Frinton and Walton.-History:...
on 27 April and began broadcasting as Radio Atlanta
Radio Atlanta
Radio Atlanta named after Atlanta, Texas, was an offshore commercial station that operated briefly from 12 May 1964 to 2 July 1964 from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England...
. These broadcasts led to complaints from the General Post Office
General Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
that communications were being affected. As a result, Panama withdrew the ship's registration on 7 May. On 2 July, Radio Atlanta merged with Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
, with Mi Amigo broadcasting as Radio Caroline South. A new anchorage in the Thames Estuary was tried for a few days from 2 November but was unsuitable as it was too rough. Mi Amigo returned to her former position off Frinton.
On 20 January 1966, a Force 8 gale
Beaufort scale
The Beaufort Scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort Wind Force Scale.-History:...
blew up and Mi Amigos anchors broke and the ship started to drift. This went unnoticed by the crew, who were watching a programme about the singer-songwriter Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
, broadcasting having ended. The final song played that night had been Eve of Destruction by Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire is an American singer-songwriter best known for the hit song "Eve of Destruction", and later as a pioneering singer and songwriter of Contemporary Christian Music.-Early life:...
. Dave Lee Travis
Dave Lee Travis
Dave Lee Travis , also known professionally as DLT and the Hairy Cornflake, is a British radio presenter, best known for his career on BBC Radio 1.-Early life:...
went aloft to adjust the TV aerial and noticed that the ship was close to shore. He was also unable to see the Radio London
Radio London
Radio London may refer to one of the following radio stations:*A popular name for the BBC World Service in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II*The station now known as BBC London 94.9...
ship . Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
Coastguards
Her Majesty's Coastguard
Her Majesty's Coastguard is the service of the government of the United Kingdom concerned with co-ordinating air-sea rescue.HM Coastguard is a section of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of all civilian maritime Search and Rescue within the UK...
were unable to raise the crew, and the tender Offshore One was sent to her aid. One of the methods of alerting the crew tried was an item on the television news. This was missed by the crew as they had turned the television off as they had lost the signal due to the ship moving from its normal position. Mi Amigo was driven ashore at Frinton-on-Sea
Frinton-on-Sea
Frinton-on-Sea is a small seaside town in the Tendring District of Essex, England. It is part of the Parish of Frinton and Walton.-History:...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
and the crew were rescued by Breeches buoy
Breeches buoy
A breeches buoy is a crude rope-based rescue device used to extract people from wrecked vessels, or to transfer people from one location to another in situations of danger. The device resembles a round emergency personal flotation device with a leg harness attached...
.
The crew, who included DJs Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn is an English disc jockey, who broadcast on the "pirate" stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s and was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in 1967. In 2002 he was the winner of the ITV reality TV programme I'm a Celebrity.....
, Tom Lodge
Tom Lodge
Tom Lodge is an English author and radio broadcaster.-Early life:Lodge was a figure in British radio of the 1960s. He was a disc jockey on Radio Caroline. Caroline and other pirates forced the government to deregulate radio, hitherto a monopoly of the BBC...
and Graham Webb
Graham Webb (Australian broadcaster)
-Biography:Webb began his career in radio in Australia and hosted the first Top 40 radio show on Sydney radio in the late 1950s. After moving to the UK in the mid-1960s he became one of several Australian DJs who were prominent in the pirate radio scene that flourished at that time.He joined Radio...
were taken to Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
police station where they were informed that they were classed as "shipwrecked and distressed mariners" and were entitled to free replacement clothing. A shopkeeper was persuaded to open up early so that the crew could be clothed, and accommodation was arranged in a hotel for the crew.
Attempts by the tug
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
Titan to refloat her were unsuccessful. On 21 January, the captain of Mi Amigo managed to refloat her by Kedging. The hull was inspected before Mi Amigo departed for Zaandam
Zaandam
Zaandam is a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the main city of the municipality of Zaanstad, and received city rights in 1811...
, Netherlands with Titan in attendance. Repairs were carried out by the Zaanlandse Scheepsbouw Maatschappij. During this period, Radio Caroline South was broadcast from , which was available for sale as Radio Syd
Radio Syd
Radio Syd was a Swedish pirate radio station. It began life as Skånes Radio Mercur, the first "pirate radio" in Sweden, and started to broadcast in December 1958.- History :...
had been closed down by the Swedish authorities. Repairs were completed on 5 April and Mi Amigo resumed broadcasting on 16 April. The next day, Radio Caroline was off the air as there had been a short circuit
Short circuit
A short circuit in an electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path, often where essentially no electrical impedance is encountered....
in the aerial. There was a gale at the time which prevented the tender from bringing engineers to Mi Amigo. The bored DJs, including Tony Blackburn, Tony Prince
Tony Prince
Tony Prince is a British radio disc jockey and businessman, remembered for programmes on Radio Caroline and Radio Luxembourg in the 1960s and 1970s....
and Norman St. John managed to fix the fault themselves and the station was soon back on air. Cheeta II served as a relay station between 27 April and 1 May 1966.
On 15 August 1967, the Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967 became law, . The four DJs on board Mi Amigo at that time were Ross Brown
Ross Brown
Ross Brown is an Australian rower.- References :...
, Robbie Dale
Robbie Dale
Robbie Dale 'The Admiral' was born in Littleborough, Lancashire, England on 21 April 1940.Dale was one of the DJs on the offshore pirate radio ship Radio Caroline on 14 August 1967 with Johnnie Walker, when the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act came into effect. At its peak, the station had 23...
, Spangles Muldoon
Spangles Muldoon
Spangles Muldoon, real name Chris Cary, was a radio broadcaster best known for his work on British offshore radio station Radio Caroline. Cary was a key figure in the British rock music radio revolution of the 1960s. He was born in Chester, U.K., on 5 October 1946 and died on 29 February 2008, in...
and Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker (DJ)
Johnnie Walker MBE is a popular British veteran radio disc jockey and broadcaster....
. On 3 March 1968, Titan pulled alongside Mi Amigo and Radio Caroline was ordered to close down. The crew were locked in the ship's lounge. The Offshore Supply Company seized Mi Amigo and as security for £30,000
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
they were owed. Both ships were towed to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. It was planned to use the as a replacement for Mi Amigo, but the story was leaked by newspapers and the ships owners were told that they would be summoned if the ship was used to broadcast pirate radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
.
On 29 May 1972, Mi Amigo was sold at auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
for ƒ20,000 to the Hofman Shipping Company, who had bought her on behalf of Rob Vermaat and Gerard van Dam. Although it was assumed that Mi Amigo would be scrapped, the Dutch Free Radio Organisation announced that she was to become a Free Radio Museum. The studios and cabins were restored and Mi Amigo departed Amsterdam on 2 September apparently bound for England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The next day, she anchored of Scheveningen. During October and November, test transmissions were made which consisted only of playing music and no station identification was given. On 9 November, Spangles Muldoon spoke live on air.
A Force 11 storm on 13 November resulted in Mi Amigo losing her anchor and the mast collapsing. A makeshift aerial was erected on 30 November. Broadcasting began on 1 December, still without the DJs giving their name or using a station name. On 17 December, the name Radio 199 was used. From 22 December, the name Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
was used. On 28 December, some of the DJs refused to work any more as they had not been paid. The next day, came alongside Mi Amigo accompanied by the tender Zeemeuw, which the striking DJs boarded. The dispute was settled and Radio Caroline resumed broadcasting.
On 30 December, Mi Amigo was towed to IJmuiden by the tender Euro Trip. Permission to enter port was initially refused as Mi Amigo had no papers. Assurances were given that port fees would be paid, and Mi Amigo was allowed to dock in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Officers from the Dutch Radio Controle Dienst boarded the ship, but her transmitting equipment was not confiscated as it was incomplete. Member of the Scheepvaartinspectie declared that Mi Amigo was unseaworthy and ordered repairs to be made. At court in Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
, an injunction was granted to the captain of Mi Amigo and the ship was impounded. On 1 January 1973, two tugs towed Mi Amigo to IJmuiden where the Scheepvaarinspectie ordered that a leak in the engine room was repaired, giving the crew just two hours to complete the task. Early the next day, outstanding monies were paid, and Mi Amigo was allowed to sail.
On 18 January 1973, a mayday
Mayday
Mayday is a distress signalMayday or May Day may also refer to:* May Day, a holiday on or around May 1** International Workers' Day* Mayday, Colorado- Music :* Mayday , an electronic music festival* Mayday...
was broadcast by Mi Amigo at 23:50 due to a fire in the engine room. The fire was extinguished within ten minutes. On 2 April, Radio Veronica's
Radio Veronica
Radio Veronica was an offshore radio station that began broadcasting in 1960, and broadcast from offshore for over fourteen years. It was set up by independent radio, TV and household electrical retailers in the Netherlands to stimulate the sales of radio receivers by providing an alternative to...
ship ran aground off Scheveningen, Netherlands in a storm. Mi Amigo then broadcast for Radio Veronica as well as for Caroline, with two new studios being built for the purpose. The money earned from this paid for a new radio mast. On 1 October, the new mast collapsed. A makeshift aerial was erected and the ship resumed transmission on 4 October, but ceased transmission on 18 October when the mast failed. A new 165 feet (50.3 m) high mast was completed by 24 December. On December 28, Radio Mi Amigo was broadcast from Mi Amigo. From 7 January 1974, Radio Seagull was broadcast, the name changing to Radio Caroline on 23 February.
On 29 August 1974, Mi Amigo was towed to across the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
by the . She was anchored near the Kentish Knock Lightship, some 18 nautical miles (33.3 km) off the Essex coast on 30 August. At 16:30 on 8 November 1975, Mi Amigos anchor chain broke and the ship began to drift, running aground on the Longsand Head Sands. She was refloated at 19:55 but continued to drift and entered United Kingdom territorial waters at 22:03. The Coastguard was flooded with calls from listeners to Radio Caroline. The engine on Mi Amigo failed about this time. On 9 November, the ship was anchored near to the South Edinburgh Number 2 buoy. Her position was confirmed by the lighthouse tender Mermaid but she was declared to be a danger to shipping at that position. On 13 November, Mi Amigo was towed to the South Edinburgh Number 3 buoy, from where she recommenced broadcasting. The following day, Mi Amigo was boarded by police
Essex Police
Essex Police is a territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Essex in the east of England.It is one of the largest non-metropolitan police forces in the United Kingdom, employing approximately 3,600 police officers and operating across an area of over and with a population of...
and Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
officials who ordered that broadcasting be stopped. On 17 November, coastguards at North Foreland
North Foreland
North Foreland is a chalk headland on the Kent coast of southeast England.North Foreland forms the eastern end of the Isle of Thanet. It presents a bold cliff to the sea, and commands views over the southern North Sea.-Lighthouse:...
were contacted and told that the ship had lost her main anchor. The Margate
Margate
-Demography:As of the 2001 UK census, Margate had a population of 40,386.The ethnicity of the town was 97.1% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.5% black, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% Chinese or other ethnicity....
Lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
was sent to her aid and took off two crew. Mi Amigos captain was told that no tug was available to assist her. He refused an offer to return to shore. The two crew members were landed at Ramsgate
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
as conditions were too rough to land them at Margate. On 23 November, Mi Amigo was anchored at 51°39′42"N 1°31′52"E, some 17 nautical miles (31.5 km) off Margate.
On 10 September 1976, one studio was put out of action when a porthole
Porthole
A porthole is a generally circular, window used on the hull of ships to admit light and air. Porthole is actually an abbreviated term for "port hole window"...
was broken by a wave, flooding the studio. At 20:30 the anchor chain broke in a Force 9 storm. Lifeboats and search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s based at RAF Manston
RAF Manston
RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long...
were placed on standby. 02:30 on 11 September, Mi Amigo ran aground on a sandbank and was holed in two places. Broadcasting ceased as the ship was 6 feet (1.83 m) deep in water in places. The Dutch crew members were taken off the ship and landed at Oostende. Whilst there, they searched an impounded oil tanker
Tank ship
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
and found an anchor and chain, which they appropriated for use on Mi Amigo. The ship was towed clear of the sandbank on 16 September.
On 18 January 1979, Mi Amigo sprang a leak. A mayday was issued on 19 January which was received by the Thames Coastguard. Three vessels went to the aid of Mi Amigo, the May Crest, Sand Serin and Cambrai. The ship was abandoned, but later boarded and salvaged.
On 19 March 1980, Mi Amigos anchor chain broke in a Force 10 storm. She drifted for 10 nautical miles (18.5 km) before running aground on the Long Sand Bank. At 23:58, the final broadcast was made by DJs Stevie Gordon and Tom Anderson. The Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
Lifeboat attended Mi Amigo and took off the crew. The ship sank on 20 March at 51°35′00"N 1°17′20"E leaving only the 127 feet (38.7 m) tall mast above the water. On 22 May, Thanet District Council
Thanet District Council
Thanet District Council is the local government body for the Thanet district. Its administrative centre is Margate. It is one of the district councils in Kent...
announced plans to refloat Mi Amigo and turn her into a museum ship
Museum ship
A museum ship, or sometimes memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public, for educational or memorial purposes...
at Ramsgate, but the ship remained as a wreck. The mast collapsed at the end of July 1986, a fact which was reported by Trinity House
Trinity House
The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters...
on 2 August. It was announced on 13 September that the position of the wreck of Mi Amigo was to be marked by a buoy. Mi Amigo lies in 8 feet (2.4 m) to 16 feet (4.9 m) of water.
Broadcasting history
The following radio stations were broadcast from the ship.| Station | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Radio Nord Radio Nord Radio Nord was a Swedish offshore commercial station that operated briefly from 8 March 1961 to 30 June 1962 from a ship anchored in international waters of the Baltic Sea off Stockholm, Sweden. While the station was dubbed as a pirate radio station, its actual operation took place within the laws... |
21 February 1961 | 30 June 1962 |
| Radio Atlanta Radio Atlanta Radio Atlanta named after Atlanta, Texas, was an offshore commercial station that operated briefly from 12 May 1964 to 2 July 1964 from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England... |
9 May 1964 | 2 July 1964 |
| Radio Caroline Radio Caroline Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly... |
3 July 1964 | 3 March 1968 |
| Radio 199 | 18 December 1972 | 21 December 1972 |
| Radio Caroline Radio Caroline Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly... |
22 December 1972 | 19 March 1980 |
| Radio Veronica Radio Veronica Radio Veronica was an offshore radio station that began broadcasting in 1960, and broadcast from offshore for over fourteen years. It was set up by independent radio, TV and household electrical retailers in the Netherlands to stimulate the sales of radio receivers by providing an alternative to... |
11 April 1973 | 20 April 1973 |
| Radio Atlantis Radio Atlantis Radio Atlantis was a Belgian-owned offshore pirate radio station which operated between 1973 and 1974 from the coast of The Netherlands. Belgium had passed a law outlawing offshore broadcasting in 1962, but because its neighbour The Netherlands had not yet passed a similar law, there was nothing... |
15 July 1973 | 18 October 1973 |
| Radio Seagull | 24 July 1973 | 22 February 1974 |
| Radio Mi Amigo International | 28 December 1973 | 20 October 1978 |