SYDNEY HARBOR DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 4 November 1927, Page 2

SYDNEY HARBOR DISASTER

ferry boat cut in half BY S.S. TAHITI. LARGE loss of life. ■ Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, Nov. 3. When the steamer Tahiti, which left tlie wharf at four o’clock this afternoon for Wellington and San Francisco, was passing Bradley’s Head, in the Tiarliour, she ran down the AA'atson’s Ray ferry steamer Greyeliffe, which foundered in a few minutes, and the passengers were thrown into the water.

The Tahiti stood hv and lowered boats while other ferries and launches raced to the scene of the disaster, where passengers were seen clinging t > pieces of wreckage and helping others to climb on to these frail supports. The Greyeliffe was rounding Bradley’s Head when she came into collision with the Tahiti, wmoh appeared to roll the ferry over, the latter sinking in three minutes.

As the victims were picked up they were rushed to the Alan o’ A\ar steps, where efforts at rcsucitation were made. There were many heroic attempts at rescue, naval men and civilians diving from launches in an endeavour to save the sinking men, women and children. A number of passengers were seriously injured when the Tahiti struck the ferry, by flying timber, the Greyeliffe being cut right down to the water line.

Alanv of (hose brought to the Man o’ War Stops by rescuing launches were in such a condition that they could not he put in ambulances, and efforts were made to resuscitate them on the spot. Si far no actual announcement is made of the number of killed and injured. hut it is known that at least twelve were drow'ned. whilst the list of injured w ill he very heavy.

News of the disaster soon spread through the city, and enormous crowds congregated, waiting for the rescue parties to return. WELLINGTON. Nov. 3. In connection with the Sydney harbour tragedy, the Union Company's Head Office in AYellington lias been informed that the Tahiti, at the time of the collision, was in the charge of a Compulsory Harbour Pilot. ITBTHER PARTICULARS. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY. Nov. 4. The ferry disaster dead so lar identitified are: Airs Mabel Carroll. Alajory Girand (a schoolgirl). Henry Thompson and .J. T. Treadgold, all of Yalcluse. There are five other unidentified bodies at the morgue. The delay in identification was caused by a lack of knowledge on the part of relatives, who until several hours had elapsed heard nothing of the disaster.

A great number of children were aboard the Greyeliffe, returning from school, and pathetic scenes wore witnessed when parents, learning of the disaster rushed to the Quay, where the survivors and victims were being landed.

One survivor states the ferry was passing the Garden Island when they saw the Tahiti come up astern and then crashed into the Greycliffe’s stern. The ferry sank immediately and the water was thick with struggling people, some of whom were badly cut. lie thinks many deaths were due to injuries received when the collision occurred. An eyewitness from another ferry states the Greyeliffe seemed cut right in front. The Tahiti was travelling at about eight knots, at the time of the crash, and the Greyeliffe immediately disappeared, nose first. The impact was so severe that the survivors state it was impassible for anyone on the Greyeliffe to escape injury. The Tahiti, with Archbishop Redmond and the New Zealand cricketers aboard, finally cleared the heads at eight o’clock. LATER. Additional dead identified in the disaster are: Airs Alary Teary, William Renton, Airs Elizabeth Combs, Airs Elsie Ramsay, Airs Williams, ail ol A alcluse. Thirty-seven were hospitalled, many of whom are badly injured. It ie feared the death roll, which is now li/no, may materially he increased, as the vessel turned completely over when she sank, trapping numbers in the cabins.

One report states the Greyeliffe was struck amidships and broke in halves. At one time there were more than fifty craft engaged in rescue work, disentangling the victims from masses of wreckage floating at the scene of the accident, which is one of the worst that has happened in the harbour.

AA’lll EL ESS PARTICULARS

AYELLINGTON, Nov. 4

A few additional particulars of tbe Sydney tragedy are given in a broadcast message:-

The accident occurred at 4.30 p.m. The ferry boat was loaded with school children and adults, mostly proceeding to their homes at Yalclu.se and Watson’s Bay. Flying timbers injured many. Three well-known Sydney residents, Doctors A .lteid, It. Leo-Brown and W. Paradise are said to he among the missing. The body of a man in a naval officer’s uniform as recovered from the water.

GISBORNE, Nov. 4

After midnight it was reported by Sydney wireless that there were eleven dead, five known to be missing and forty-eight injured, the dead including J. C. Trcadgold, 72, The Crescent, Yalcluse; Mrs Mabel Carrol, 51, The Crescent, Valcluse ; Henry Thomas Thompson. 48, ex-naval officer of Valcluse; Marjorie Ellen Girand, 13. schoolgirl: Mrs Millicent Brown, 49, Valcluse; William llenton, naval officer, H.M.S. Penguin, of Hose Bay; Mr Ralston, of Avenue, Valcluse.

One of tlm.se picked up injured died in Sydney Hospital. Amongst those taken to the hospital injured were John Berrett. engineer, Greyeliffe. and Bred Jones a deck-hand. Ken Haylen, a son of the Town Clerk of Valcluse, swam ashore.

Three doctors, who were believed to be passengers on the ferry were reported missing. Dr Reed, one of the Port Health officials ; Dr Lee-Brown, oxGovernment Medical Officer and Dr \\ . Phradise, of Valcluse. belonging to H.M.S. Geranium. Others reported missing include Hugh Bell of Valcluse. Betty Sharp and Betty Laurie. Amongst those admitted to Sydney Hospital was one woman who is still unconscious, whose identity at a late hour had not been discovered.

Dr Wilson (Medical Superintendent) and fifteen assisting doctors and many medical students and nurses are busy at Sydney Hospital receiving and attending to the injured, who numbered 37. many being badly injured. Several ambulances were engaged rushing injured persons from the naval steps to the hospital. There was intense anxiety in many homes in Sydney, and up till a late hour, relatives and friends knew nothing of what had happened to those missing. Broadcast appeals were sent out to those who knew of passengers by the ferry to communicate urgently with the police. The Captain of Garden Island Npval

Depot heard the impact of the collision and turning, saw the ferry boat being turned over and people being thrown into the water in all directions. The naval launch was immediately got out and assisted in the rescue.

A petty officer of H.M.S. Penguin who was oil the Greyeliffe. said as we were turning Bardley’s Head the Tahiti suddenly came up and struck them, and the next thing he know he was thrown into the water with men, women and children all round him. He went down several times before being rescued. ANOTHER ACCOUNT. (Received this day at. 9.30 a.m.) SYDNEY', Nov. 4. The dead include—AFrs Bryant, ol AA ollington (New South Wales). Mrs Purnell, of Watsons Bay, 26, is missing. Over fifty were injured and taken to the hospital, most only slightly injured, hut others in a critical condition. The accident is described as the worst that ever has occurred in Sydney Harbour. It is feared that a large number of the missing, if not all, will he dead. A diver is to he sent down to the Greyeliffe to examine the cabins.

The Greyeliffe had about 125 passengers when it left Circular Quay for AA'atsons Bay. On that trip she always carries a large number of children returning from school, and many men from the Garden Island Naval Depot, were picked up at Garden Island. The accident occurred at a point nearly opposite Bradley’s Head. Both the Greyeliffe and Tahiti were travelling in the same direction. The collision occurred so suddenly that the passengers of the Tahiti did not realise what had happened. The screams of the women and children on the stricken ferry rudely enlightened them. Apparently the Greyeliffe was broadside on to the mail steamer at the moment of the impact. The sharp how of the Tahiti hit into the wooden superstructure of the ferry boat, pushing it forward and turning it over, then tearing right through the vessel amidships, one half of the Greyeliffe going on the south side of the Tahiti and the other on the north. In a moment all was confusion. Terrible scenes were witnessed as the ferry passengers sought to free themselves from the wreckage, which quickly sank. The engine-room boiler hurst as it became immersed, adding further to the terrors of the situation for the unfortunate passengers. Firemen from the Tahiti dived overhoard and rescued two children and assisted others. The Tahiti swept on for some distance after, cutting through the Greyeliffe. before it could pull up. She eventually anchored and lowered boats to go to the rescue of the survivors. The Tahiti was undamaged. Scratched paint on the how is the only noticeable result of the collision.