STEAMER CAPSIZED.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 779, 31 March 1910, Page 5

STEAMER CAPSIZED.

ACCIDENT TO THE KOI. STRUCK BV HUGE ROLLERS. > SOME NARROW ESCAPES. (By Telegraph.—Preas Association.)' Nelson, March 30. ; ,The steamer Kbi, owned by the Anchor Shipping Company (53 tons net) capsized half a mile westward of Nelson entrance a few minutes after three o'clock this afternoon, and now lies on lei side submerged, the rail being just awash at loirwater. She is,on a, sandy bottom. No injury has,been done to the hulL ■ ;./;:: 'Tho ciroumstances surrounding , the accident are very extraordinary. The' steamer was coming from Motueka- with a cargo of hops,and produce and a deck load of 287 sheep and lambs (within the regulation number).; She carried no'passengers.; A'heavy' S.E. wind was blowing,' but this makes little sea:in the bay on account of the conformation of'the, hills." ; A heavy ewell was, however, coming down from the N;E., V the': effect of .the ; big:sea ; : in the Straits. For' intervals of a quarter , of an hour at a time the eea'wasjttita'calm\6fr the.entrance. ■'■ - '' l ■' .^. "■ Then <■ a- few rollers ■' of' extraordinary, height would come 'down and'break: on the .bar to the westward of the entrance;" The 'Koi .'was caught.; by ■ one' of; these" rollers .and put on: her .beanv-ends; .andi before ehe.could;recover a seoond* came aboard: and flooded the' engine-room. NA third followed/and Eent her' down by the stern. ..' ';■■ . ■' .■ '■■■-■ ~ '■■■':. : ;;. : ; ~ She" lies out of the' fairway ' in"'about' .twelve feet".of 'water.■'..■ ■■,■..■■■'■■ ; ■" V The crew'- of .six. clung to the side 'of ' the vessel. Some were washed off, "and l< ranklin, .the steward,' who could ' not' iwun, was brought back by.'two mates,' , Dave Stewart and Hugh Fowler.' .:-•' ,_ Tfl e engineer (J; Weir) and a seaman i (Hendry) were.-iyashed ,away -from the f vessel. . Weir :,was kept:,up by Heridry, '.who is an'indifferent swimmer. ;.'■',■■■•",•".■' _; Mjv'"A. "J.-. 'Glasgow, who 'was .cruising inside the,harbour in ; an oillaunch, was , the first to go to the rescue. He picked • up --Weir and Hendry 200 yards from .the steamer. Pilot.,;, ~:■■: ■".. : . :--..- i^...; ■•..-•.!. _A orew in a whaleboat. took 'Captain': bcully'and the; rest ■ of' the crew 'from , the side of the vessel just as she'was disappearing.. The whole thing took about'■■'■ a|quarter of an hour. :' *■ ..',:'■■•■ c; : :•■ There -was' great excitement ashore," and ] there, were many .witnesses of -the > whole:occurrence.,::.,:v.;..:.. ;% ~;,,:;/:.;. .The:.company 'liave an' insurance:fund-of:-their own. , i ■■/" -_ ■_ '•,•■: >.-. '.',=.•'••':••":-.■ ;: The consignees of the ' sheep ■ 'are not - insured, and stood to lose J2150, but dur- "■ S? ■* ' * T «? fD ß''' tte: Voonsignor,'"Mr:'. Thomas ■ Pattie;' o£; Eiwaka, generously telegraphed that he would share the loss. ''■''■ . (sopd hopes : are" entertained of floating ■ the,, vessel. The. pilot,crew : .made l a : |.line. fast, at;.-. low water, and this''was'• connected with a-winch' on the boulder bank./. An attempt 'to: draw .her 'in'; to. bankwiU probably be.made '■'■ in-the ' - ■■' ■'~■' . Mr. Tom ,I,awson,ih«,; wuller, a'.'mem- '■ jer of the Pilot crew, ■ was\nearly, drowned. ; -, While he;.was making fast.the-' hawser;- the .undertow-, took' him ■ to thobottom. ', :';.-■. ' ,'■: I Great; sympathy,. is '■ felt for 1 ' Captaia , :.' bcully, who is a great favourite with; the . public .=-.■:: ,-.;.. ;■;■'. .. .. ■.- .., .>;•■ .-/■ .•TJie, phenomenal eharaoteTiof;the roli-: ers comiing from apparently a calm eea." is ;a" subject 'of .gemeral remark amons? ■' the large orowd attracted from'the town ■ to the, 6cene of the accident. - ; Pilot' Collins: says he. has seen.'the'same -thing - twice. before during •: a heavy south-east ■ gale.,-' •■•:•!,■ .-■■■ ■■ -~ ■.; .-■-.;. ..■■ .< .■•■•■ -..,. -■ ■•:

; Late yesterday, afternoon, Mr. G. Allport; Secrebiry of the Marine Department; a:telegram from Nelson concerning! the mishap to the Koi.xThe message slated, that -the.steamer, when approaching the hew ■ entrance to Nelson Harbour,;.had been .'struck, by a heavy. sea. ; and ..thrown ■.on her beam ends and that; she/sank.': AH hands were saved, the,message stated. , ';:... ■..-... , The Koi is an iron twin-screw steamer built in N.elson in 1906 by. her owners. Her ■•'principal-; dimensions- are: ''■ientthV Sift.; breadth, leffc.fand "depth, 6ft. : :