2014 Event Royal Caribbean's cruise liner, Explorer of the Seas, returns to port after 700 of its 3,050 passengers become ill with gastroenteritis; the illness is suspected to be the Novovirus, a variant strain of the species Norwalk virus 1992 Death Willem RJ Wittkampf, journalist and writer (Liner, Cannon), dies 1985 Event PLO terrorists sieze Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro 1973 Death Lauritz L H Melchior, Danish baritone/actor (Luxury Liner), dies at 82 1969 Event New York Met Ron Swoboda's spectacular diving catch of sinking liner with runners at 1st and 3rd in 9th, Mets win in 10th in World Series game 1969 Event British liner Queen Elizabeth II leaves on maiden voyage to New York 1967 Event British liner Queen Elizabeth II launched at Clydebank, Scotland 1961 Event British liner "Dara" explodes in Persian Gulf, kills 236 1960 Event French liner "France" launched 1956 Event Italian liner Andrea Doria sinks after colliding with the Stockholm 1949 Event Chinese liner "Taiping" collides with a collier off south China 1947 Event Convair Liner, 1st U.S. twin-engine pressurized airplane, tested 1940 Event British liner Empress loaded with refugees for Canada, sunk 1938 Event British ocean liner "Queen Elizabeth," launches at Clydebank Scotland 1938 Event Ocean liner Queen Elizabeth launched at Glasgow 1938 Event 34,000-ton Cunard-White Star liner Mauretania launched at Birkenhead 1935 Event French liner Normandie begins its maiden voyage 1934 Event British liner Queen Mary is launched 1934 Event Luxury liner "Morro Castle" burns off New Jersey, killing 134 1932 Event French liner Normandie is launched 1917 Event U.S. liner Housatonic sunk by German sub and diplomatic relations severed 1915 Event Italian liner Ancona sinks by German torpedos, killing 272 1909 Event Liner "Arapahoe" is 1st ship to use SOS distress call 1906 Event Famous Cunard passenger liner Lusitania launches 1898 Event French liner "La Bourgogne" collides with bark Cromartyshire, 560 die
