SHIP CLOSE TO DISASTER

Chronicle (Levin), 21 April 1949, Page 5

SHIP CLOSE TO DISASTER

Praas Association)

Fully-Laden Cojlier Strikes Harbour Rocks

fPer

GREYMOUTH, April 21.. The Union qompany's coiiier Kartigi, aimosfc fuliy loaded with 2700 tons of.cofti fpr Appkland. waa in immihept dgngpr pf disaster within the cptifines pf the Gvey River shortly after fiv'e o'clock ihis mpyhing. The ghip hit a retaining waU and was slightly ha ed. . ' A few minutes alter leavirig the wharf 011 her way to .Auckland the Kartiga suddenly sheared towavds ihe north bank of the river - ahd befpre the hgayily laden . vessei cpuid he stvaightened up theTpie part strpck the roqks of pne of the iiver retaining walls; known as the half tide wall. For a period the vessei was helpjess, -bpt with smart , seamahship her maeter,. captaih. H, ?ew» gradually swung the stern- of the Kartigi downstream. This uitimatelyqhad the effect' ofv turhing;,;t.h.e { Veikei in' a" pbmplete; -oirele opee clear of the rock;- shq retra.ced , her ehiirse- >-.- ' upstream'. , aftd. . again berthed at the wharf.- ; j kk ."".' Only Slight , The :-KartigI. was . ;hp ed , the • bpfipm. -. near ihe bpw-,- but thp Teak is , only s'ight, A' centent.; blppkihg .with" oakum i? t-eipg.-: pbt ih. -apd, ■ Siibject' to the appr'oval of the sur- .-. weycrr of ^hips, rt is expectea tha-fc -the vessei will be dispatched to Auckland tonight, • where permanent.repairs will be .undertake.b- " The reason for the ' vessel's- sbdr den: shear apregs. the. river' has hPt .-yet been pstablished.'. The- vYeathej and water conditions were perfect, except for a stropg bree.ze. b'pwing •down the river, b-ut it is thought possibie that the vessei piay have tou'ched a pateh- of . shoaling fh the river, causing a mpmeritary loss.of steering way." T ■ '% . The eollisibn oceiifred gbput- half way between the end pf the wh^tl ahd the §ea, .but by the- twhe;, the . vessei Was tvirned she was on;y a few huiidred yards - frpftr- the. dangerous rocks of the ha'rbo.ur. *pr ■ trance. These were the. gre'atest menace to her safety. ..." ',4, • , In an interview, Captain . Eetty stated that the vessei tQoK'A den shear across the river an$:M' ifore he could recpyer. fhp- Vessei ut ; [hit the rocks.. His first thppght Was that .the steering had failed,; but tesis had later proved it to -be in order. . He' cohsidered it nossible that the vessei touehed bdttom, .but felt no impact at thp time... '-. v. . Tnt.errsiye soundiugs pf the. rrver bottom are being parried out tod^y>