The story of the Blythe Star is one of the most fascinating Australian tales you’ve probably never heard. It is a story of both tragedy and heroism, although the hero fiercely rejects that title. Ten men set out on the doomed cargo ship. Mick Doleman is the only living survivor. It’s taken him 42 years to tell the full story of what happened — to anyone, including his wife and kids. Until this year the tale of loss was too great for him to even talk about. Seeing his colleagues die as a result of one of Australia’s most botched air and sea searches was not something he ever wanted to glorify or be seen to benefit from. “The three lives of my comrades were a hell of a high price to pay for this, but there are seafarers alive today because of the changes,” Doleman says. “They didn’t lose their lives in vain.” Other than Doleman, all the Blythe Star crew is now dead.
