STEAMER TURNS TURTLE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 February 1930, Page 2

STEAMER TURNS TURTLE

WATCHERS SEE IT OVERWHELMED.

LANDS END, (Cornwall) pec. 6

Groups of men and women standing on the headland at Land’s End to-day saw a tragedy oi the terrific gale when the steamer Frances Duncan (2,384 tons), turned turtle, in the raging seas will a feared loss of 16 lives.

After the vessel rolled over and floated keel-iipwards when it had passed the Longships Lighthouse, they saw heroic rescue work carried out by the steamer Alice Marie, which fought its way through the storm., to the scene and saved five of the crew.

The Frances Duncan is a collier owned by Messrs J. T. Duncan and C’o., of Cardiff. A graphic description of the tragedy was given to me this afternoon by Mr Ailbert Trenerry, who was standing at the Land’s End Hotel.

OVERWHELMED. He said: “It was about a^quarter to twelve. There was a tremendous sea running, and the steamer was abreast the hotel and about two miles from the shore.

“She was just inside the Cam Barra Rock, and a big sea, evidently lifted by the sumberged rock, overwhelmed and swallowed Her up

“There she remained for what I her for some time; then she' gradually came up again, and I saw that she was over on her beam ends.” “There she remained or what I thought was about half an hour, when she rolled right over and sank.” “I did not see any men in her. There was not time to launch any boats. Her end was swift and sudden. Until the fatal sea struck her she appeared to be all right. It either smashed her hatchway in, or it so rolled her over on her side that her cargo shifted and she was unable to right herself.”

Miss Smith, a member of the staff of the. Land’s End Hotel, saiu*: “About midday I beard that a ship was in distress off Land’s End, and I hurried out to the edge of the high cliff in front of the: hotel.” \\

Some two,, miles off shore was a steamerlying over on its side in a terrible set with very high waves.

“It was evidently in great peril, and the little group on the cliff-top-among whom were' people who had hurried across the downs from cottages, close by—watched it in great anxiety.

“We saw it lean over more nad more, and then it lolled completely over with the keep upwards. It was an awful tiling to see. ■ ■ ’ ' “As it turned a white cloud burst from it, but whether this, was the breaking, of a huge wave or the. steam when the water poured into the boilers I cannot say.

RESCUE STEAMER’S FIGHT. “Meanwhile the steamer Alice Marie was making its way towards the scene as quickly as it could, but it was continually hidden by the great seas which broke over it. About a quarter of an hour after the Frances Duncan turned turtle the Alice Marie reached the scene.

“The Frances Duncan was still floatink keel upwards, but we could only see it every now and again as the waves were so high.

“When the Alice Marie reached the scene I saw, through my binoculars a man or board climb down a ladder hanging from the side and catch hold of a man struggling in the water. He pulled him on to the ladder, and he reached the deck. The Alice Marie remained at the spot some time, and its captain and crew were very plucky as they must have been in danger themselves from the terrible seas.”

A man who joined the group of watchers on the cliff said he saw someone clinging to piece of wreckage in the boiling sea. He was being terribly knocked about, when the log suddenly rolled over and he was seen no more.

Shortly afterwards a couple of empty lifeboats belonging to the Frances Duncan were washed ashore at Sennen together with a large quantity of wreckage.

CAPTAIN SAVED. A wireless message received from the Alice Marie to-night st;.ted that the five men picked up were Captain Martin, of St. Just, Cornwall, the skipper; Mr Sara, the second mate; the wireless operator, fireman, and a seaman. The owners stated at mijlnight that they had not available a list of the names of the crew, as tlie men had been nicked up at various ports during the last few months.