MARITIME TRAGEDY

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3819, 17 July 1928, Page 1

MARITIME TRAGEDY

CAPSIZE OF AUXILIARY SCHOONER, CREW OF EIGHT DROWNED. Auckland, July 15. The gravest maritime tragedy on the New Zealand coasts since the sinking of the coastal steamer Ripple on August 7, 1924, occurred at. 4.30 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, when the auxiliary schooner, Isabella de Fraine, capsized on the Hokianga Bar with the loss of all hands —a crew of eight WESTERLY WEATHER. DANGEROUS HOKIANGA BAR. Strong westerly weather, at times reaching' to gale force, has obtained along the northern coast for over a week, creating difficult navigation conditions at bar harbours. The Isabella de Fraine left Onehunga ‘on Thursday afternoon, and when crossing the bar at the mouth of the Hokianga River on Saturday afternon was seen to cgpsize, apparently being overwhelmed Jay one of the great rollers which, combined with the formation at the mouth of the river, so very often makes negotiation of the channel hazardous. The little vessel rolled right over in the heavy seas, and it is believed impossible that any of flip crew of eight can have survived. The master of the vessel was Captain A. Berridge, of Auckland. The Hokianga bar is reckoned one of the most dangerous on the northern coasts. The channels are constantly changing direction and depth. The wreck has disappeared .and there is no hope of survivors.

SEVERAL YEARS IN COASTAL TRADE.

.The Isabella de Fraine is well known in Auckland shipping cii'cles and has been engaged in New Zealand coastal trade for over ten years. She is a wooden schooner of 110 tons gross owned by A. G. Franklin Ltd., and was built at Camden Haven in the north of New South Wales in 1902. For auxiliary purposes she has an oil engine of 60 horse-power. After running for a considerable time in the Gisborne-Auckland trade she was transferred to the Hokianga service, trading first from Auckland, and in more recent months from Onehunga to Hokianga. It is recalled that last year the Isabella de Fraine was nearly sunk in Hokianga Harbour, when, on May 30, she struck a submerged rock oil Kafaka Point, a hole being knocked in the forward part of the hull. Pumps were manned, but as the vessel continued to make water the captain beached her, and plugged the hole with a sack of flour. A reference to the incident published at the time remarked how fortunate was the escape from such a tragic fate as the little saner mot not much over a year later, PREVIOUS WRECK. If is fourteen years since the Hokianga bar claimed its last ship. On August 7, 1914, the barque Joseph Craig, while being towed outward for Melbourne by the tug Ohinemuri, parted from the towline, and became a total wreck inside the bar. The crew were landed safely without much difficulty, hut a southerly gale blew with lut/i'icane force in the night of the wreck, completely breaking up the barque, timber from which was scattered all round the North Head. The Joseph Craig was an iron vessel of 714 tons gross. Captain Airey was the master, and among the crew was Mr W. E. Sanders, who, as a Royal Navy reservist with the British Fleet during llie Great War, attained the rank of lieutenant-commander, and won the Victoria Cross in one of the most brilliant minor engagements of the campaign. Ho was a native of Auckland, 30 years of age at the time when ho was awarded the decoration.

Discussing- the risks of tho bar, Captain M. Pierotti, marine superintendent of the Northern Steamship Company, who, as master in the fleet, has had many years’ experience of working bar harbours of the Northern Peninsula, deemed it probable that the bar, which moves north and south from time to time, was- to the north when the Isabella do Fraine come to grief. In that ease, a vessel entering had to turn broadside on once inside. Normally, she would (hen have to contend only with broken water, but occasionally one of tho great rollers would come through unbroken and catch tho ship at a disadvantage. Captain Pierotti surmised that it might well have been the case in this instance, or that the steering gear had carried away. Normally, signals were readily picked up at Hokianga Heads, although on accasions the early morning haze behind the land compelled masters to stand well to tho northward to pick up indications. THE CREW. The crew of the Isabella do Fraine were: Captain A. Berridge, aged 47. D. Tcixeira, mate, aged 53. A. Kendrick, engineer, aged 31. 11. Trevarthon, assistant engineer. E. Merritt, cook. F. Licwendahl, A.B. A. Suvanto, A.B. ill, Kennedy, O.S. Captain Berridge leaves a widow, a son aged 20, a daughter aged 15, and a son aged 7. D. Tcixeira, leaves a widow, a son aged 18, and daughters aged 15 and 8. A. Kendrick was married six weeks ago, and had just returned lo duty from his honeymoon. The two able-bodied seamen have no relatives in New Zealand. VESSEL TURNS TURTLE. MEN TRAPPED LIKE RATS IN A HOLE. AUCKLAND, July 15. Further particulars of the wreck of the Isabelle de Fraine were sent to-night by the Herald’s special reporter, who reached the scene of the wreck on the isolated coast by aeroplane, by extraordinary message. A moderate south-west breeze was blowing, he said. “The Isabelle, responding to semaphore messages from the _ signal station, swung from her course outside the bar and came dipping through the main channel. Alone in the forerigging, Captain Berridge watched the dangerous channel mouth. Cutting through the rough seas the ketch got within the channel. Suddenly as she made for the bar the wind caught her canvas, and the Hugo booms slung across the spray-washed deck. Strained by the quick jar, the Isabelle listed on her side. Following the winds came heavy swells, catching the vessel as she lay momentarily on her side. In a flash, she turned completely over, bottom facing skywards. Thrown from tho rigging, the captain was caught with the seamen, and sucked beneath as the Isabelle lurched and turned turtle. Trapped like rats in a hole, eight gallant, men met death while the great green waves battered on the hull. For twenty minutes tho helpless derelict drifted, then sunk. The tide was running almost full m when she atempted to take tho bar. Why she hesitated and did not come through is baffling all seamen along the harbour. Ex-masters of vessels say that perhaps it was because tho rudder became loose, or because the steering chains broke. That the captain changed his mind is indicated by the statement of tho harbourmaster, who described how the Isabelle seemed suddenly to sweep bow round after sho had started to dip into the channel. When sho was on her back, no rudder was seen.

No trace of the crew was seen after they sank, and no trace of the bodies, bnt wreckage is coming ashore.

WRECK WITNESSED. SPECTATORS UNABLE TO HELP. AUCKLAND, July 16. Captain Mitchell, the harbourmaster at Hokianga, and his assistant, Mr Byers, witnessed the wreck, but wore powerless to do anything, being alone on the isolated coastline. It was four o’clock in the afternoon when the disaster occurred. Inward bound from Onehunga, the vessel attempted to cross the bar with the tide running almost full in. That the Cap. lain changed his mind about coming through is indicated by the statement of the harbourmaster who described how the vessel swerved suddenly to sweep her bow round after she had started to dip into the channel. Captain Mitchell sighted the schooner at 10.45 in the morning coming from the north under sail. He, signalled to her at 1.30 p.m. to keep to the south Ten minutes later he saw the engines being started. He signalled to wait for the tide at 1.50 and then observed something that appeared odd. Tho vessel was under the power of her sails again and then the engines were restarted, and she went on tho port tack. At 3.40 ihc crew took in the mainsail and a quarter of an hour later the vessel took to the south channel. Captain Mitchell signalled tq, “turn inward and come in over the bar, but no notice was taken of this signal. The vessel turned outward and then suddenly made for the bar. She jibbed when almost on the bar and, taking a run on tho sea, it appeared as if she would never stop. Then she went broadside on and did not seem under control. The booms swung across the decks, the vessel listed and was hit by the swell and then she turned over. Captain Mitchell rushed to his home and telephoned to the police to spread the news around, •while Mr Byers, through the telescope, saw the vessel spring up from the sea, only to shudder and be lost for ever.

SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS. ® NO TRACES FOUND. AUCKLAND, July 16. Groups of searchers made a systematic search of the const line, walking to within a short distance of Whangape, fifteen miles of Bleak Wildland, throughout the darkness without food or shelter. They found no trace of any survivor. Pieces of the hatchway and portions of the hull were strewn over sixteen miles. By noon 400 people were scouring the shore without further success. Both Captain Berridge and the mate Tcixeira were known as experienced and cautious sailors. The Isabella de Frame carried between 40 and 50 tons of cargo. The vessel is insured. ANOTHER MISHAP. SCOW GOES ASHORE. ALL THE CREW SAFE. AUCKLAND, July 15. The scow Herald, owned by Mr A. \\. Bryant, while on a voyage from Wlianga ref to Coromandel, ran ashore on Flat Rock, 10 miles outside of Tiri at 3 a.m. yesterday. The crew scrambled on to the rock and remained there in wintry conditions until their signals of distress were sighted by the steamer Tofua a few minutes before two o’clock yesterday afternoon. Those on the Herald were Captain E. Sellars, J. Davis (acting mate), F. Frodig ('A.B.), and H. Ahnscn (A. 8.). "Wo left Whangaroi at about 1 p.m. on Friday for Coromandel,” said tho captain. “Towards evening we experienced dirty, squally weather from the south-west. We wore working up along the shore and the wind broke ns off our course. I went to put the ship about and she missed stays. The next I knew was that we had run ashore. The Herald went on to the rock sideways,” said Captain Sellars. “As the weather was nasty she-bumped and knocked herself about. We could not launch a boat on account of heavy seas, so wo scrambled over the jib boom and got ashore on the rock.” In less than an hour the scow worked herself off the rock and drifted in the direction of Groat Barrier Island. The men had an uncomfortable time on tho rock without food or shelter. Three craft passed during the morning, but did not see the castaways’ signals, but in the afternoon the men were seen from the Tofua and rescued.

The Tofua then returned towards port and the men were transferred to a launch. The Herald is a sohoonor rigged vessel of 93 tons. Sho is one of the largest scows trading out of Auckland. As the floating hull is a menace to navigation the tug Simplon has been sent to look for it.

A Wellington message states that the secretary of the Post Office (Mr G. McNamara) has received tho following navigation warning:—“Tho Tofua reports that the scow Herald was wrecked on Flat Rock at 3 a.m. to-day. The crew were saved, and the derelict, which is full of coal, is drifting towards Great Barrier Island and is a danger to navigation.”