FERRY CAPTAIN SAVED

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 195, 7 November 1927, Page 9

FERRY CAPTAIN SAVED

HELPED IN RESCUE WORK STATEMENT TO POLICE SYDNEY, Sunday.* When the ferry steamer sank, the master of the Greycliffe, Captain Barnes, was carried down and imprisoned in the wheelhouse. He escaped through a window, and was rescued in an exhausted condition. As soon as he had recovered he insisted upon taking part in the rescue work, and assisted in saving a number of the passengers. According to a standing rule, all the ferry company’s available steamers abandoned their time-tables and went to the assistance of the Greycliffe’s victims. The police have supplied the Press with and authorised the publication of statements made to them by the pilot, Captain Carson, who took the Tahiti out, and by Captain Barnes. WARNING TOO LATE The latter says he estimates there were between 75 and 100 passengers on board the Greycliffe. He had called at Garden Island wharf, and was heading for Neilsen Park wharf, when lie heard two blasts from a vessel He looked out on the starboard side, but saw nothing. Then he stepped across to the port side, and looked astern. He saw the Tahiti within a few feet of his port quarter. He had not seen or neard the Tahiti previously. Immediately after this the Tahiti struck the Greycliffe, and the latter seemed to go down at once. 1-Ie says he does not know whether the blasts he heard « ne from the Tahiti, as there was another steamer in the vicinity. He was travelling at a speed of nifte or ten knots. When the ferry steamer was struck his engines were going full steam ahead. STATEMENT BY PILOT Captain Carson says he was steering the usual course on the Tahiti. He saw the Greycliffe on the starboard bow, about one length of the larger vessel, away from him, and steering a parallel course. The ferry steamer was then in no danger whatever. At Clark Island the Greycliffe suddenly altered her course right across the Tahiti’s bow. The pilot says he immediately ordered the Tahiti’s helm hard a-star-board, and the steamer commenced i moving to port. He also ordered the

port engine full astern, and stopped the starboard engine. There had been two blasts of the whistle, but the collision was then unavoidable. The disaster occurred in a few seconds. On the bridge with Captain Carson at the time were the Tahiti’s captain, second officer, helmsman, and junior officer. The light was good.— A. and N.Z.