1979

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia

January

• 30th
  Lerwick Up Helly-Aa.

May

• 3rd
  General Election, Jo Grimond, Liberal, returned with a majority of 6,810.

July

• 4th
  Master Mariner Gordon B Smith, left Lerwick with his 32 foot yacht Varangian on his 16,050 miles voyage to New Zealand.
• 12th.
  Adventurer Ragnar Thorseth with 'Strandholm' arrives Shetland on his way to the Northwest Passage. He brings in tow the 20 foot speedboat 'Hugin'.With that will he,T.Berge and A.Moltubakk do an attempt to cross the passage 75 years after Roald Amundsen with 'Gjøa' did it as the first.
• 31st
  Danair Hawker Siddley HS748, G-BEKF crashed into the sea at the end of runway 09 whilst attempting a take-off, 17 of the 47 souls on board were lost

September

• New Terminal Building at Sumburgh Airport officially opened by HRH Princess Alexandra.
• 27th
  Ve Skerries Lighthouse first lit

November

• 3rd
  General cargo vessel Saint Kentigern wrecked on Kettla Ness, West Burra.

1978 < - > 1980