KANOWNA WRECKED

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1929, Page 5

KANOWNA WRECKED

THE VESSEL SINKS

SLII’S OFF THE HOCKS

(Australian Press Association) (United Service.)

MELBOURNE, February IS

Further information states that the Ka iiowna slipped off the rocks, and sank out of sight, at 7.110 o’clock this morning.

All hands were removed to safety before she went down.

A wireless message from the naval sloop, 11.M.A.5. Margarito, this afternoon, read: ‘ Found wreckage fourteen pules south of (.left Island.” The Mackarra’s captain radioed today: “All the rescued passengers are well and happy.” It is obviously difficult to obtain any news regarding the method or the incidents associated with the timely rescue of the vessel’s passengers till their arrival at Melbourne. OVER 1.130 LIVES. MELBOURNE, February IS. The Kanowna’s crew were taken off bv the collier Dumosa.

Captain Newbury is the master of the Kanowna.

The Mark arm, with the rescued passengers, is expected at Melbourne bite to-day.

The ship carried over two thousand tons of cargo. She was insured in London.

General relief was felt when it was announced that all hands had been saved from the Kanowna. In addition to the Kanowna’s passengers, numbering over one thousand, the crew totalled 130.

Captain Nedbcrry joined the Kanowna at Sydney on Saturday, in order to relievo the permanent master, Captain Sharland, who is on leave. Captain Newberry has a fine record with the Australian United Steam Navigation Cov., the owners of the Kanowna, which was running to the agency o< Muddart Parkers on this trip. A DENSE FOG.

Mr Dunk, the Chief Lighthousekeeper at Wilson’s Promontory, stated that to-day he was unaware that the Kanowna had grounded on Cleft Island which is only six miles away. He added that for the*past two or three days, the Promontory had been enveloped in one of the densest' fogs that, he has remembered.

The Kanowna’s cargo was valued at £IOO.OOO, including a racehorse and three motor cars.

The Kanowna took the First Australian Expeditionary Force to New Guinea in war time. Then she was refitted as a hospital ship.

A PASSENGER’S STORY. MELBOURNE, February Iff

J. Gilbert, a farmer, of Uuambalook, Victoria, a passenger by the Kanowna, interviewed on arrival of the Mackana to-night, said he was playing chess when he heard the Kanowna’s engines hard-asterned, followed by a loud grinding, the ship heeling ovei sciiously to starboard. The .passengers shrieked and fell to the decks. The officers calmed them and ordered hiebelts and boats to he in readiness. Feelings were, relieved when the passengers- saw Cleft Island through the mist. The sea thereabouts was modelately calm. Thereafter there was no panic, the passengers just patiently waited the arrival of the M.akarra, which stood off and picked up all pas songers from the Kanowna’s lifebelts, the women first and then the male passengers. The Mackarra’s crew gave their hunks to the women. A majority of the men slept on lifebelts on deck, on the hatches or anywhere available. Gilbert added that he packed his personal effects, but a majority of other passengers lost everything. One man lost. £ls and his boots. He borrowed a pair when he disembarked at Melbourne to-day. Gilbert said all regarded the escape as the luckiest, emphasising the value, of the wireless, a hue rescue being effected by the Mackarra’s crew. Huddnrt Parker’s representatives this evening are arranging special accommodation for the stranded passengers and making provision for the resumption of their voyages to Adelaide and Fremantle by other vessels.

CANBERRA TO RESCUE. MELBOURNE, Feb. 19

The Canberra’s passengers were thrilled last night when they joceived an S.O.S. from the Kanowna at 8.11(1 p.m. The Canberra is a fast ship and was’‘.4 miles ahead, although she left Sydney an hour after the Kanowna on Saturday. The Canberra put about immediately and reached the vicinity of Cleft Island at midnight. Nobody was able to see anything, not even the powerful lights of Wilson’s Promontory owing to thick mist and log. The Canberra’s master received a radio from the Orvieto which was also cruising about in response to the Kaiiowna’s S.O.S.' Both vessels sounded sirens frequently for the dual purpose of keeping one another at a respectable distance, and acquainting the Kanowna’s master of their presence. On nows from the -Maeknrra that the\ had rescued all the passengers they iesumed their voyage.