ADRIFT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 525, 4 June 1909, Page 5

ADRIFT.

J 8.8. WOOTTON DISABLED. [, DUCO FAILS TO FIND HER.. ' ! As reported yesterday, tho steamers Blenhoimand Waihlj'when abouttwelve miles off , the Wair&u Bar, on Wednesday, sighted. a t Vessel showing signals of distress., The' 1 Blenheim ; Went to her assistance, but up till tho time of going to press further details were not available.. The Blenheim arrived in Wei- ( lington yesterday mowing, and her : master . (Captain Watson) imported that hepicked up - the Btoam&f Wootten (Captain Scott),' a vessel of 160 tons, which had broken down in Oook Strait while en a voyage'from Welling- , ton to Lydi'a Bay (Polorus Souhd). This voyage the little steamer commenced on lhursday last. i The Blenheim orossed tho WairaU Bar at 4.35 a.m. on Wednesday, and at 0.20 a.m. sighted the Woetton., wluoh was carrying two ; red lights arid firing rockets and -flares •— signals of distress! With somo difficulty the Blenheim was brought near enough. to the disabled vessel to enable a towline -to bo passed. . The towing was'a hazardous l operalion, as & heavy isea was, running, with a Stiff, nor'-n'or''Wester. The exact nature of ; the breakdown was. not ascertained by. those on board tho Blenheim, who hadithcir attention ,fully_ occupied by 1 tho towing, operations;, which were persevered with until 6.45 a.mi, when, the vessels being then some 18 miles south of Pencarrow, the line had to be east off, the Blenheim's coal'supply having run short. . The strong head wind mado the task a very protmctcd one, and Uhe Blenheim when she cast off had only sufficient coal to take her to Wellington/ It was therefore deemed prudent to leave the Woattoii in a safe anchorage, well off tho land. Captain Watson, on entering the harbour, signalled "Wootton in distress. Wants, assistance," and also reported to the Harbour.Board. The Duco was immediately 'dispatched' to' the assistance of the disabled steamer. Later advice was to the effect that tho Duoo arrived back from the Straits at 8.15 p.m. last evening. Captain Abram reported that ho went out twenty miles south from Pencarrow and lind a good look to the west and tho east, hut. could see no sign of the disabled vessel. There ,Was a northWesterly fjalo and a very hoavy sea running at tho timo. 1 .Another boat will bo dispatched to tho scone early this morning to search for, t/i& AVooifcon, but thcro is a jwssibUity that, in tho meantime, sho may bfc picked, up by tho Mararoa on tho road to Lyttelton, at by somo other vossel bound for Wellington.