On August 9, 1967, while performing tasks at sea, a steam pipe ruptured in the boiler room of ORP Błyskawica. High-pressure steam escaped, causing the immediate death of four sailors and severely burning three others. Despite an immediate rescue operation, the remaining injured died on the way to the hospital or shortly after arrival.
The victims of the tragedy were:
- ppor. mar. Jerzy Malinowski
- bsmt Ignacy Kondrat
- bsmt Kazimierz Marulewski
- st. mar. Roman Jurczyga
- st. mar. Stefan Kowalczyk
- st. mar. Stefan Lepczyński
- st. mar. Edward Stachniuk
All were posthumously decorated and promoted, and their names were engraved on a brass plaque located amidships on ORP Błyskawica.
This tragedy ended the ship’s service as a combat unit—the damage made repairs impossible. In 1974, Błyskawica was converted into a museum ship, which remains in Gdynia to this day.
Among those attending this year’s anniversary celebrations was the Director of the Military Institute of Armament Technology, płk dr inż. Paweł Sweklej.
Text: WITU
Foto: WITU