Tragic accident. Bluebird K7

The tragic accident that killed Donald Malcolm Campbell.

Donald Campbell attempted to break yet another speed record of 300mph on Coniston Water in his boat, the Bluebird K7.
Campbell tragically died on January 4th, 1967, when the Bluebird K7 flipped over at high speed, instantly killing him. He was 46 years old.

Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7 was raised from the bottom of Coniston Water on March 8th, 2001.
The wreckage was raised in stages, with the largest section being recovered in March 2001.
Bluebird K7 was restored by Bill Smith. A Tynside engineer. Smith restored the boat at his workshop in North Sheilds.
Campbell's body was recovered in May 2001.
His first attempt before the tragic accident, he was recorded at a speed of 297 mph. His second and fatal attempt he was once recorded at a speed of 328mph.
If he had completed the run, he would have his world record.
When the boat was restored it ran again in 2018 at Loch Fad on the Isle of Bute.
In March 2024, the Bluebird returned to Coniston Water. She is now the centrepiece in the Ruskin Museum's Bluebird Wing.
Plans are in place to run the boat again on Coniston Water, possibly in 2026.

Donald Malcolm Campbell (1921-1967) set multiple water and land speed records. He was the first person to set both records in the same year.