Dr Gerald and Rose Nykerk, a dedicated missionary couple, spent more than three decades serving the people of Arabia. Their remarkable story is intertwined with one of the region’s most tragic maritime disasters, the sinking of the MV Dara.
The MV Dara was a British passenger ship built in 1948 by Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland. It primarily operated between the Arabian Gulf and the Indian subcontinent, carrying expatriate passengers who were employed in the Gulf nations.
On April 8, 1961, the MV Dara caught fire and sank off the coast of Dubai, resulting in the tragic loss of approximately 240 lives. This maritime disaster is often referred to as the ‘Arabian Gulf’s Titanic.’
The Nykerks’ story began at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where they met and married in 1939.
Inspired by the humanitarian work of American Mission Hospital (AMH) Bahrain chief executive, Dr Paul Harrison and missionary Tena Holkeboer, they joined the Arabian Mission. Due to the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during the Second World War, they embarked on a circuitous route to Arabia. Sailing from San Francisco to Bombay on the Dutch ship Bloemfontein, they then continued their journey to Bahrain on a Chinese ship.
Originally intending to serve in Iraq, the couple’s plans were altered by the volatile political situation. They were redirected to Bahrain, where they made significant contributions to the local community.
From 1941, Dr Nykerk worked as a doctor at the AMH Bahrain and provided medical care in Iraq (Basra), Kuwait, Oman, and Pakistan. Ms Nykerk, a skilled medical assistant, worked tirelessly alongside her husband, supporting his efforts and providing essential healthcare services.
On April 8, 1961, the Nykerks were among the 700 passengers aboard the ill-fated British passenger ship, the MV Dara. A catastrophic fire engulfed the ship, leading to its sinking off the coast of Dubai; one of the worst maritime tragedies in the Arabian Gulf.
Miraculously, the Nykerks survived by boarding a lifeboat. Unfortunately, a few years later Dr Nykerk suffered a heart attack and died in 1964. Widowed Ms Nykerk continued to serve as the hospital’s administrator until 1975.
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