WRECKED IN MID-PACIFIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 835, 2 December 1929, Page 1

WRECKED IN MID-PACIFIC

Norwich City Runs Ashore

buffeted by heavy seas

Steamer Hastens to the Rescue

STRAN DED on Gafclner Island, in the Phoenix Group, north of Samoa, the steamer Norwich City is in a grave plight. S.O.S. messages have been picked up at Apia, and the steamer i rongate lias left that port for the wreck 600 miles away. \\ ire less messages from the wrecked vessel failed out yesterday morning. The crew hoped to reach the shore, but a heavy sea was running.

WELLINGTON, Sunday. I The Secretary ot the Post and | Telegraph Department has received the following wireless message from Apia: “An S.O.S. call was received from the British steamer Norwich City ai 1.30 a.tn. today. The signals were vteak and statics were fierce. •fVe were able at 3.21> a.m. to readthe 'position of the steamer, whicli was 4 degrees 35 minutes south. 17!) degrees 3 uunutes west, Gardner Island. in the Thoenix Group, North of Samoa. He advised us: ‘lf the ship ; holds until daylight we may make the ! shore, but a heavy sea is running.' | "No other stations appeared to hear his repeated calls, and in response to ’ our CQ (all stations) calls we were I unable to raise any vessel nearer than j ajO miles to him. At 4.30 a.m. we advised him that we ; would try to get something out to lilm and that the utmost was being ! (lone to get relief, to which he replied. ' ‘Thanks.’ “The signals then weakened, probably due to daylight, and the last. ij.O.S.’ call was received at 4.40 a.m. “The steamer Trongate, in port hare, is now getting up steam and will leave in about an hour’s time for the wreck, which is about 600 miles from here. In the meantime we are calling CQ (all stations) to endeavour to get in touch with a nearer vessel.” Later the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department received the j following from the superintendent of i radio, Apia:— * “The Trongate left Apia about 2 ; p.m. to go to the assistance ot the Norwich City. There was no response from the Norwich City throughout today or this evening. “At 6 p.m. we got in touch with the steamer Laving,ton Court, who gave his noon position as 350 miles northeast of Gardner Island, and said he could reach Gardner Island at daybreak on Monday. We have passed this Information on to the Trongate.

and have asked the captain to arrange with the Lavington Court whether he wished him to proceed to the wreck.”

A COMPLETE WRECK

CREW ABANDONS SHIP i A DANGEROUS POSITION 1 ' 1 Reed. 10.t5 a.m. SYDNEY', Today. Badly holed aud a complete wreck, the Norwich City is ashore at Gardner ; Island, 600 miles north of Samoa. Her 1 | S.O.S. signals were heard at Apia: * yesterday and the steamer Trongate ;is rushing to her aid. So dangerous ’ is the position that the crew had to ’ J abandon ship immediately. 1 i The Trongate was loading at Apia, ’on her way from New Zealand to : ; Britain, when the call for assistance > j was received. DAYBREAK TOMORROW TRONGATE WILL ARRIVE , Press A ssociation i WELLINGTON, Today. : The following has been received by j the Secretary of the Post and Telej graph Department: “The Trongate is l ; proceeding to the Norwich City, which ■ I she expects to reach by daybreak on ’ i Tuesday. The Lavington Court is 4 proceeding on her voyage.” ' The Phoenix Group of eight scattered islands, little more than atolls, is just south of the Equator. Gardner or Kemin Island, is about 2.J miles J long with a large deep lagoon. The ’ population of the whole group is j about sixty persons, mainly engaged ! in coconut cultivation and guano " working. The group is particularly dangerous to shipping, and steamers ‘ usually heave-to if darkness falls when ' | they are in the vicinity of the group. | The Norwich City is a steel steamer j of 5,587 tons, owned by the St. Just Steamship Company, Limited, of Bideford. England. She was built in 1911 at West *Hartlepool. She was formerly named the Normanby. The

Norwich City sailed from Melbourne for Vancouver on November 16. The Lavington Court, which has gone to the assistance of the Norwich City, left Port Kembla on November 16 for Seattle.