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Fireboats spray water in vain on the blazing former luxury liner Queen Elizabeth in Hong Kong Harbor on Sunday Jan. 9th, 1972. (AP Photo)

Fireboats spray water on the burning luxury liner Queen Elizabeth, now renamed Seawise University in Hong Kong harbour on Sunday, Jan. 11, 1972. (AP Photo)

Smoke billows from the former luxury liner Queen Elizabeth, Sunday, while anchored in Hong Kong harbor. The Queen Elizabeth, now named Seawise University, was being renovated for use as a combination floating University and cruise ship.

The Queen Elizabeth on Oct. 2, 1968.

Packed Like Sardines aboard the largest liner in the world, 14,860 soldiers and sailors came home from Europe Friday as the majestic Queen Elizabeth steamed into the New York harbor to a thunderous welcome. The ship, built to carry 2,400 in peacetime, was crowded, as can be seen in this photo of her taken from a helicopter, but was a happy burden for thousands of her passengers who were on their way to furloughs with their families. Abroad were 13,658 army troops, mostly personnel of the Eighth air force and hospital units, and seven civilians. (The Associated Press)

The massive anchor chains of the Queen Elizabeth are spread out in a Southampton dry dock as the giant liner receives her annual cleanup on Jan. 25, 1953. This year, she will carry thousands of passengers across the Atlantic to see the June 2 coronation. (British Information Services)

Sliding Down the Ways at Clydebank, Scotland, the new queen of the seas, the Queen Elizabeth, largest liner in the world, is shown here being launched on Oct. 4 ,1938. King George had intended to be present, but the European crisis kept him in London. The Queen Elizabeth, 1,030 feet long and with a gross tonnage of 85,000, took to the water without a hitch.

Queen Elizabeth leaves New York for the last time on Oct. 31, 1968. (AP Wirephoto)

The huge British liner Queen Elizabeth towers high over the New York police launch shown alongside her here as she anchored at Quarantine today, completing her trans-Atlantic dash. The Queen Elizabeth, the largest vessel afloat, is an 85,000-ton ship, 1,030 feet in length.

Edgar Foster, a 56-year-old Brit, dives into the North River from the sundeck of the Queen Elizabeth in a carefully planned stunt on Jul. 16, 1953.

Edgar Foster, right, a 56-year-old Brit, who dove into the North River from the sundeck of the Queen Elizabeth in a carefully planned stunt on Jul. 16, 1953, aboard a crane ship, dressed and re-boarded the liner without its officers knowing about it. They found out after the ship, with Foster aboard, started back to England. They fumed, but didn't announce what action they intended to take.

Happily, Queen Elizabeth Crewman Derek foster, 16, laughs as the big ship ties up safely in New York. At right, Chief Engineer William Sutcliffe (center) and Captain John C. Townley look quietly proud. 1940

The liner Queen Elizabeth moves past four newly-arrived liners at Hudson River piers on Jul. 10, 1962 as she departs for Europe with 1,899 passengers abroad.

Shapely Rita Hayworth, who never looked better, walks on the promenade deck of the Queen Elizabeth, much to the delight of her fellow passengers, as the liner docked. The actress is returning to the U.S. to make her first movie in three years. To be released by Columbia, it will be called Fire Down Below. (Copyright Bettmann/Corbis / AP Images)

Miss Ruth Fine of Denver, Colo. is shown as she posed for the photographer aboard the Cunard super liner Queen Elizabeth just before sailing from New York Harbor enroute to Europe where she will tour the continent for six weeks. (Cunard Steam-Ship Co., Ltd.)

This the Queen Elizabeth, world's largest passenger liner, reported she had collided with a freighter off New York's Coney Island, just outside of New York harbor on Jul. 31, 1959. The accident occurred about a mile and a half off shore.

Firemen fight through smoke to battle a blaze aboard liner Queen Elizabeth in Southampton, England on Mer. 19,1946. Officials of the Cunard White Star Line, owner of the craft, hinted the fire was the result of sabotage. (AP Wirephoto)

Liner Queen Elizabeth shows collision scars on Jul. 30, 1959. Dented plates are on starboard side of prow. (AP Wirephoto)

Fireboats pour water into the burning U.S. liner John Ericsson at Pier 90 in New York on March 7, 1947. The British liner Queen Elizabeth is in background. (AP Photo).

A Fleet of Tugs had its first really good workout in months when the giant British liner Queen Elizabeth docked here today on a "Sneak Preview" of her ocean service. The 85,000-Ton unfinished ship is shown here being berthed. Since the war started the Queen Mary and Normandy, two of the Tugs' best customers, have been out of service.

With Manhattan's skyline in the background, the huge British liner Queen Elizabeth, safe after a spectacular dash across the Atlantic, moves up the harbor today toward a Berth in the North River. 1940

The Largest Ship Afloat has doffed her drab wartime uniform arriving in the New York harbor from England in bright peacetime dress of red, white and black on Oct. 22, 1946. She is the British luxury liner Queen Elizabeth, shown here being greeted by fireboats throwing water, and tugs blowing whistles. It was the first peacetime trip of the 83,673-ton former troop carrier. Queen Elizabeth

The former passenger liner Queen Elizabeth lies capsized and smoking in Hong Kong harbor on Jan. 18, 1972 while a fireboat sprays water on the smoking hull. The Queen Elizabeth, in Hong Kong to be converted into a floating university, caught fire on Sunday.

The former luxury liner Queen Elizabeth, her side buckling amidships, begins to collapse inwards upon her self in Hong Kong harbor on Jan. 10, 1972, after nearly 24 hours of raging fire. (AP Photo)

The severity of the damage of the wreck of the Queen Elizabeth is seen in Hong Kong harbor onOct. 27, 1972. The steel plating which has a grill or ribbed appearance was the side of the liner. The heat of the fire was so intense it folded over through more than 90 degrees. On top of the stern is a swimming pool.

A picture of the wreck of the former Queen Elizabeth taken from the stern in Hong Kong Harbor on Oct. 27, 1972. On the left is the side of the ship, made from two-inch steel plating, which folded over with the heat of the fire. (AP Photo)

A member of a Japanese crew removing oil from the wreck of the former Queen Elizabeth squats on a working platform stationed next to the wreck in Hong Kong harbor on Oct. 27, 1972. The picture illustrates how the side of the ship has collapsed inwards with the heat of the fire. The ladder at left leads to what was the bridge area. (AP Photo)

The former Queen Elizabeth remains afloat on January 10th, with its sleek hull and all 11 decks ravaged by a disastrous fire which roared through the ocean giant's once luxurious staterooms and salons. (Copyright Bettmann/Corbis / AP Images)

The twisted hulk of the former Queen Elizabeth lies where she burned out just a year ago at the entrance to Hong Kong harbor. She's half-submerged in 43 feet of water, surrounded by oil that seeps from the wreckage. (Associated Press News)