Bye-bye to Langdrik

The listing MV Langdrik shortly before it sank New Year’s day in Majuro lagoon. A team of Shipping Corporation staff motor by to take a look. Photo: Karen Earnshaw.
The listing MV Langdrik shortly before it sank New Year’s day in Majuro lagoon. A team of Shipping Corporation staff motor by to take a look. Photo: Karen Earnshaw.

A year or so ago, the good ship Langdrik was taken out of the RMI Shipping Corporation fleet and moored in the Delap corner of Majuro’s lagoon. For over a dozen years, the ship had plied the waters of the Marshalls, delivering guys, gals, and goodies to the outer islands and back to Majuro. It hauled countless tons of copra to Tobolar and gave employment to dozens of sailors.

Paid for by the Republic of China/Taiwan and built in a Japanese dockyard, the Langdrik has been a valuable steady workhorse.

But come New Year’s Eve and Langdrik’s energy was exhausted. Her transom started dipping lower into the glassy waters by 2pm a few groups of curious cruisers went over to investigate, as did former Shipping Corporation Chairman Alson ‘Mr. Canoes’ Kelen, who was on his way home to Ejit. Meanwhile, a trio of guys from Shipping occasionally came out to the listing boat, circled it, and then voyaged back to the shore … their purpose unclear.

At three o’clock a call was made on the VHF radio: “She’s going down.”

And so she did, remarkably quickly, with the bow finally pointing to the heavens and then, with a big splash, the Langdrik disappeared into the depths below.

Read more about this in the January 6, 2016 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.