SEA GIVES UP ITS DEAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 194, 5 November 1927, Page 1

SEA GIVES UP ITS DEAD

Gruesome Task of Divers SEARCHING FOR FERRY VICTIMS I ATEST information from Sydney discloses the appalling At result of the shipping disaster in Sydney Harbour, when the Greycliffe, a ferry steamer, was cut in halves by the Union liner Tahiti, off Bradley Head. Casualties total close on 100, the deaths recorded so far numbering over 30.

By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright Reed. 10.30 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. jyiVERS are working in 60 feet of water at the Greycliffe wreck. As the weather is wet and the skies overcast, the light is very bad, and they are unable to see far at that depth. They are working in spells of two

POPULAR CAPTAlN—Captain B. M. Aldwell, who has commanded the Tahiti for some time past, is one of the best-known captains of the Union Line. hours. After that time has elapsed they have to ascend for a rest. The police have been dragging the harbour in the locality of the accident without result. Following are lists of the dead and the missing: DEAD Alfred Barker. Miss Frost, Melbourne. Henry Stiles, Watson’s Bay. R. Forbes, and his son. Mrs. Mary Terry. William Renton, chief petty officer on H.M.S. Penguin. Mrs. Elizabeth Coombes. Mrs. Williams. Mrs. Mabel Carroll. , Miss Marjory Giraud, a schoolgirl. Henry Thompson. J. T. Treadgold. R. Wright. C. Bloom. Betty Benson. All of the above were residents of Vaucluse. Mrs. Cook and her son, aged two, of Melbourne. Mrs. Bryant, Wellington, N.S.W. Mrs. Purnell, Watson’s Bay. Dr. C. W. Reid, chief quarantine officer. Surgeon - Lieutenant - Commander W. Paradioe. Mrs. Mary Corby and her daughter. Miss Agnes Hill, schoolgirl. Dr. Lee-Brown, prisons medical officer R. Mitchell, of Bondi. E. Day. A. H. Stephens, of Watson’s Bay. MISSING The list of the missing to date includes: — Charles Garrett. Bernard Landers. C. Wolfe. John Rang. Miss Wright. E. Connors. W. Jones. Mrs. Cassie Jones. B. Lankshire. Mrs. R. Smith. Betty Laurenee. W. BarryJ. Carroll. F. Hedges. E. Thomas. J. King. H. Brown. C. Crocker. Eliza Asher. F. Barker. Dahlin. A. Barry F. Forbes Betty Sharp. C. Murray. C. Hedges. Edna Gray C. Stevens. Eight naval ratings. Six persons were critically Injured and are now in hospital.—A. and N.Z.

HUDDLED IN CABIN

EIGHTEEN DEAD BODIES HALF OF WRECK SEARCHED SYDNEY, Friday. After finding four bodies a diver found two more and was then horrified to see 18 others huddled in another cabin. Efforts are being made to extricate the bodies, but the task is difficult. When the diver commenced operations he had only been down a few minutes when Tie signalled for a slate, upon which he wrote that he had discovered four bodies. ’ Immediately a rope was lowered and the body of a young woman was hauled to the surface. Other bodies were later brought up. The diver had repeatedly to come to the surface.

owing to the great depth in which he was working. The divers experienced great difficulty, at times having to hack a way with tomahawks through the wreckage to the bodies. So far ail the dead have been recovered from the forepart of the ferry-steamer, and it is feared there may be many more in the after section. The work of identification is still proceeding slowly, but it will be some time before the divers are able to extricate all the bodies so far discovered from the mass of wreckage in which they are entangled. REPORT TO COMPANY STATEMENT FROM TAHITI Reed. 11.25 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. The navigation authorities at Sydney state that the departure of the Tahiti after the smash was quite in order, as she is a mail boat on a regular run, and -will be back here in seven weeks. In addition, the pilot is here to give evidence at the preliminary inquiry. A report received by the Union Company from the Tahiti before she sailed states that the Greycliffe, after calling at Garden Island, was ahead of the Tahiti. She stood away from Nielsen Park, on the Tahiti’s starboard bow. When Bradley’s Head was approached, the Tahiti steered in the usual way, allowing the Greycliffe plenty of room to proceed on her course. The ferry, however, appeared to bear in toward the point. All went well till the Tahiti's bow was almost level with the ferry amidshisp. Then the ferry, it is alleged, suddenly swerved across under the liner’s bow, and in a few seconds was overturned. The Tahiti’s whistle was blown, and every effort was made to stop the vessel: but it was too late.— A. and N.Z. EARLY INQUIRY FIXED EVIDENCE IN NEW ZEALAND Reed. 10.30 a.m. CANBERRA, To-day. The Minister of Trade and Customs, the Hon. E. H. Pratten, said the preliminary inquiry into the harbour collision would be held on Monday or Tuesday. The evidence of officers and others on the Tahiti will be taken in New Zealand. The Minister was asked whether it was a fact that the Tahiti had been allowed to sail for San Francisco without a statement being taken from the officer in charge. Mr. Pratten said he had no information on the matter, but he would endeavour to get advice from Sydney. —A. and N.Z. TEMPORARY MORTUARY SHIPS DIP THEIR FLAGS SYDNEY, Friday. All the ferry steamers passed the scene of the disaster to-day with flags half-masted and at reduced speed, as a token of respect for the dead. So many bodies have been recovered that a temporary mortuary had to be established. Here the bodies were brought and large crowd's of relatives of missing passengers waited outside all day. Identification is proceeding slowly.—A. and N.Z. PILOT IS SILENT STATEMENT WITHHELD SYDNEY, Friday. Captain Carson, the pilot, who was on. the Tahiti, interviewed, refused to make any statement in connection with the harbour disaster. Immediately after the collision the Tahiti sent a wireless message to the Union Steam Ship Company, advising of the disaster, and stating the Tahiti was thoroughly seaworthy. No official report of the events leading up to the disaster was given.—A. and N.Z.