BY EXTERNAL EXPLOSION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 240, 28 June 1918, Page 6

BY EXTERNAL EXPLOSION

, VESSEL DISAPPEARS I TEN MINUTES EIGHTY-FIVE PASSENGERS AND CREW LANDED FIFTY UNACCOUNTED FOR The Huddart-Parker Company's intercolonial liner Wiinniera, which left Auckland for Sydney at 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning last, was sunk by an external explosion off the north coast at 5.15 a.m. the following: day. Eighty-five of the passengers and crew were subsequently landed, and are at present en route to Auckland. A later report from ilangonui stated that a party of thirty had just landed on the beach. STATEMENT BY THE NAVAL ADVISER .The following official statement was issued by the Naval Adviser to the Government (Captain Hall-Thompson) at 11.30 a.m. yesterday— "I regret to have to state that at 8 p.m. on the 26th inst. information reached me from Naval sources that the Huddnrt-Parker steamer Wimniera, which had, left Auckland at 10 a.m. on the 25th inst. for Sydney, had been lost off the north const of New Zealand by external explosion at 5.15 a.m., which took only ten minutes to sink her. Eighty-five of.the passengers and crew (whose names are given below) were landed last evening at Tom Bowline Bny, near North Cape, and at the present moment are en route to Auckland in rescue vessels which were provided by the Wimmera's owners at the earliest opportunity. It may be added that the survivors, who were in night attire, were, generally speaking, in fairly good condition when they, landed, and that they have beau' temporarily supplied with food and clothing, both from Naval trawlers in the vicinity and also from settlers at. Parenga-renga, who sent over all the available assistance immediately they heard of the disaster. Definite information is difficult to obtain at present, but it is established that the ship left Auckland with sixty-six passengers and a crew of seventy-five, The following numbers have been landed: —Lady passengers, 15; children, 1G; men passengers, 18; ship's officers, 7; able seamen, 8; stokehold crew, 11; stewards' department, 12; total, 85. This leaves fifty-six persons unaccounted for, the names of whom aro not yet'known to me. They may still be on their way ashore,.or they may have lanlled.on the coast, and not yet been discovered, although search both on the coast and in the vicinity of \the disaster has been in progress by Naval and other vessels since 8 o'clock last evening. Further information will be communicated to the Press as soon as it has been verified. All inquiries as to the welfare of individuals known to have been on board should he made at the offices of Messrs. Huddart, Parker, and Company."