Fishermen escape as boat explodes

Press, 12 April 1979, Page 3

Fishermen escape as boat explodes

Timaru reporter

The fuel tank of the 45ft wooden fishing boat, Pendella exploded yesterday morning while the ownerskipper, Mr R. G. Shore, and his crewman, Mr P. Berge, were in a liferaft alongside the blazing hulk, east of Timaru. An earlier explosion had resulted in a fruitless 20minute battle by the two men to extinguish a fire aboard. The Pendella was well alight forward, but still buoyant aft when the Timaru Harbour Board’s tug Aorangi, reached her and administered the coup de grace about 5.45 a.m. yesterday. Messrs Shore and Berge were in a liferaft near the blazing boat when the first of Timaru’s fleet of rescue vessels, the Nella, reached the scene. The two survivors, both Timaru men, and described as being “pretty cut up” after their harrowing ex-

t perience, could not be inter- - viewed. r When the Nella reached - port at 9.05 a.m., she 1 dropped the two men off on :, No. 1 wharf extension from ; which they were whisked f away secretly by car. They could not be reached i during the day, it having - been indicated by Mr B. J. 5 Kenton, a Timaru fisherman 3 that “they would not be talking to anybody.” 1 The drama started at 1.56 1 a.m. when a distress call ■ was received at the Harbour ’ Board’s watch-house on No. I 1 wharf. ; The board’s signalman (Mr - E. W. Seunninga) said that an explosion had occurred 3 on board the Pendella, which 3 was from 20 to 30 miles t east of the Port of Timaru. 3 She was in 28 fathoms. 1 Awarua Radio, Invercargill, was advised, as 1 was Search and Air Rescue, I Christchurch. Consideration ’ also was given to using a - helicopter.

While the rescue ships were steaming towards the stricken trawler her fuel tanks exploded. Conditions at the time were good. The Pendella, which was insured, had been fishing out of Timaru for about three years. She had a beam of about 16ft and a draught of Bft 6in. She left Timaru on her voyage of no return at 6.30 p.m. the previous day. According to Mr D. Murray, a crewman in the Nella, Messrs Shore and Berge were sitting in the wheelhouse of the Pendella having a cup of tea. “The next minute — ka-boom,” said Mr Murray. The first mate had told him that the engine was going for some time afterwards. “There were flames aft, and they were trying to extinguish the fire for about 20 minutes. They blew the life-raft up forward and went over the side,” he said. When the Aorangi, with

“pin-point accuracy,” came across the Pendella, the fishs ing boat was in her death throes. “We poured water over her and put the fire out and she sank within a few minutes,” said the Timaru Harbourmaster (Cap- : tain A. Grieve.) “There were two men in a liferaft and they were ' picked up as we got there,” 1 he said. When the tug was 15 minutes away there was one big explosion as the fuel tanks : blew up, said Captain Grieve. ; The head of the Timaru ■ police, Inspector B. D. Read, • said it. was believed the initial explosion was caused I by a leaking rock-gas stove. ; The gas, heavier than air, might have leaked down into i the engine room and exi ploded, he said. “They were very lucky the first explosion was not a big I one and that they could get to the radio to raise help,” Inspector Read said.