04-08-2025
Crazy drone attack on president, live TV and the country's leader survive the assassination bid
The Oceanos cruise ship sinks off the Wild Coast. More than 570 passengers and crew were rescued in one of the most dramatic moments in maritime history. Helicopters from Durban's 15 Squadron were heavily involved in plucky everyone onboard from a near certain death. Oceanos had been en route to East London after departing Durban with a load of revellers onboard. Apart from the air force helicopters from Durban and Port Elizabeth and their brave navy divers, the entertainment crew, particularly Moss Hills and Julian Butler, were heroes being instrumental in getting everyone saftely off the after the captain and crew adandoned them to their fate. (Three years later, Hills was entertaining on another cruise ship, the Achille Lauro, when she caught fire and sank off Somalia. Again, he save people.)
Image: File
On this day in history, August 4
1782 The British East Indiaman Grosvenor runs aground on a reef in foul weather near the Umzimvubu River mouth. Although 136 of the 150 crew and passengers reach the shore, only 17 survive the trek to Cape Town. (A few from the grounding are believed to have been assimilated into local tribes.) The wreck of the Grosvenor is one of South Africa's most famous. The ship is said to have been the richest East Indiaman lost. It carried at least 2.6 million gold coins, 1 400 gold ingots and 19 chests of emeralds, rubies and sapphires.
1881 A European record is set when 50°C is measured in Seville, Spain.
1901 British general Lord Methuen destroys Schweizer-Reneke, burning every building.
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1914 Work is stopped at the Kimberley mine after 43 years because it is uneconomical.
1918 Adolf Hitler receives the Iron Cross, first class, for bravery, ironically, on the recommendation of his superior, Lieutenant Hugo Gutmann, who was a Jew – a people Hitler launched genocide against.
1967 Young white South African men are told to report for military service.
1991 The cruise ship Oceanos sinks in heavy seas off the Wild Coast; all 571 people on board are rescued by helicopters, navy divers, magicians and comedians after the captain and crew had beat a hasty 'path' to safety.
2012 Oscar Pistorius becomes first double-leg amputee to compete at the Olympics.
2018 President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela survives an assassination attempt by drone, live on TV.2020 The UN says Covid-19 has created the biggest educational disruption in history.
2020 A fire started by welding triggers blasts at a Beirut, Lebanon, warehouse storing 2 750 tons of ammonium nitrate. The blast kills more than 214 people – some vaporised – and injures another 6 000. It sends a mushroom cloud into the air and a supersonic blast wave, damaging many buildings and blowing out windows at Beirut airport, 9km away, as well as a 140m-wide crater. Several ships sank, including a cruise ship.
2021 Rihanna is the world's wealthiest female musician, worth $1.7 billion, says Forbes. Her fortune is largely due to her Fenty Beauty line.
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