TRAWLER FAST ON ROCKS

Chronicle (Levin), 20 March 1947, Page 5

TRAWLER FAST ON ROCKS

sress Association

POSITION NOW PRECARIOUS

By Telegraph —

WELL1XGTOX, March 19. Captain A. Sutiienand, liiaster of tlie trawler Euturist which rau aground ar Long Point near Oupe Canipoell this morning, said wlien lie reached shore lie thought slie was a total wreck. lnterviewed by "telephone Captain Sutherland at Ward (.Marlborough) said: "She is well and truly on tlie rocks with seas breaking riglit over lier. I don't think there is a chance of getting lier oif. " We had been liove to and were drifting all night wlien a southerlv spraug up and set us into shore. It was very dark and a bit foggy. At 3.30 a.m. slie slruck. We didn t know wliere we were as we were vvell inside tlie Cape Campbell liglitliouse beani which was cut ofl' by other headlauds. There was a fairly strong southerlv sweil running. We had diiiiculty in launching the boat but nianaged to get all liands asliore safely. Xobody was injured. The coast is lonely and desolate in those parts but tlie people living nearby were very good to us. They took sorne of us over the liills and dells 011 horseback to their dwellings. The only consolation in the whole niishap is that nobody was hurt. " Before dawn distress flares were siglited by two other trawlers in the vicinity, the Maimai and Phyllis, and the vessels steamed back to the position and stood off the rocks. They could see nothing in the darkness, but at sunrise they saw the EutOfist lying with her bow on the rocks. There were no lights 011 board_which gave rise to the belief that the engineroom was flooded. The JMaimai went to tlie liglitliouse on Cape Campbell to fetcli rescue gear, but sliortly after the Phvllis signalled that the crew were not 011 board. Wlien the wreck becaine known workuien from tlie Flaxbourne linie worlts went to the shore to ofl'er assistance to the crew. Farmers 011 horseback and members of the small township of Ward which is about three miles from the vvrecli, also went to the shore. , My. A. F. LoC, a Ward farmer, said the trawler was sitting well 011 the rocks. The night had been cairn but a soutlierly swell sprang up early. There were flat rocks all along the coast and j at low tide some of them were bare. Besides Captain Sutherland' and Mr. W. Bary (the mate), the Futurist's complement comprises G. Battason and ! W. Dalziel, Napier; H. W. Paton, Hastings; A. Ingham, P. Gilliland, W. Wliatnaugh, B. Whatnaugh and P. Bourke, Wellington.