On the morning of 8 April 1961, an hour after arriving at UMM SAID, LAFFEY
was ordered to proceed to the scene of the SS Dara disaster and render assistance.
Steaming at 30 knots for more than two-hundred miles, Laffey
arrived at the scene shortly after dark. At dawn the following day Laffey
went alongside the Dara to fight fires and check for survivors. While alongside, the
Dara began listing toward the Laffey causing some damage to our
port side and forcing us to back off. A fire-fighting party sent by boat continued
to fight the fire until noon when the Laffey was ordered to
withdraw from the scene.
More Pictures of the Rescue Operation
