CAPSIZE OP A COLLIER.

Taihape Daily Times, 16 April 1919, Page 6

CAPSIZE OP A COLLIER.

THE MYOLA DISASTER. CREW STRUGGLE IN WATER. NOTABLE RESCUE WORK. SYYDNEY, April 3. When off Long Reef, and within a mile or two of Sydney Heads, the large collier Myola, owned by the Australian Steamships, Ltd., and bound from Newcastle to Sydney, took a sudden list to port at 12.20 a.m. yesterday, and foundered, after the crew had received only the briefest warning of catastrophe, md before any effees could be taken to ensure the safety of those on board. Thanks to the early arrival on the scene of the disaster of the collier South Bulli, and the courageous efforts of her crew, 11 of the total complement oh the Myola were rescued and brought to Sydney. Having loaded a cargo of coal at Newcastle, the Myola left the northern port. She had a slight list, but all hatches were battened down, and no trouble was anticipated during the run down the coast. •>outherly brought up a heavy sea, and thfel increased in violence as the night wore on. Everything went "well until the collier was a couple of miles off Long Reef, when she suddenly heeled over to the port side. Some 'of the crew were in bed, but the alarm was immediately raised, and till quickly assembled on deck. 'By this time the port rail was under water, and it was evident that the vessel was foundering. Flare lights were burned, and two of the boats were cut away, there being no time to lower them in the usual way. Tim vessel, however,

suddenly went down, leaving most of the crew struggling in the water, and • . others clinging to floating wreckage. - Less than eight minutes elapsed from the time the vessel first heeled over until she sank. Fortunately one of the lifeboats took the wato.v right side up. but the other was damaged, and floated bottom upwards. Almost everything that could float had been thrown overboard before the collier sank, and some of the crew seized portions of this wreckage and kept afloat. Thanks to the efforts of the boatswain, Mr G. Weir, a number succeeded in getting to the undamaged lifeboat, in which they eventually tChtliod the collie,v South Bulli. ARRIVAL OF SOUTH BULLI.

The South Bulli, which was bound from Catherine Bill Bay to Sydney, was some distance astern of the Myola on the run down the coast. Her lights were occasionally visible to the chief officer (Mr J. C. Ross) on the bridge of the South Bulli, and he also noticed the flares burned by the Myola. It was not unti shouts were heard, and the survivors in the Myoa s lifeboat came alongside, however, that those on the South Bulli realised -what had happened or what the name of the vessel was that had been steaming ahead

of them. The heavy sea made the task} of picking up the men in the lifeboat a particularly risky one. Eventually the beat with the survivors in it was got

alongside. “What boat are you from.?” shouted someone from the deck of the boutu Bulli.

“The Mybla,” same the reply “What’s wrong with her?”

“Foundered.” further questions wore asked, and preparations for rescue work were immediately commenced. LAUNCHING THE LIFEBOAT. These were hastened when further shouts from the water showecT that men were still floating about in the turbulent sea. Order? 'were given for the South Bulli’s port lifeboat to be launched, and all available ropes and lines were hung over the side of the collier in order to give the men in the water something to secure a grip of. One of these were instrumental in saving the life of the Myola’s second engineer. Lowering the lifeboat in. such a heavy sea was uo small task, and the men who took their places in hen realised that the ' chaiscos of tin* boat being smashed against the side of the collier and awamped were great. No one hesitated, however, as each was aware that seamen were struggling for life in the troublesome waters.

In charge of G>. L. USard. second mate, who took up his position in the stern, the life boat got away from the South Bulli only a plank had been stove in against the side of the collier. The rescue work is best described by those who participated in It. A SEARCH IN' THE DARK. Tt was a pitch-dark night,” Said the second engineer, “and we had no chance of seeing the survivors. The only way we could locate them was by shouting at the top of our voices and I am still hoarse from doing so. 'AT one moment wc would be on the top of a wave, and the next we would be down in the trough of he sea. It was the same with the men who were clinging to the wreckage. We first picked.up the donkoyraan, who was floating on a lump of wood. Alter this we

got the skipper and another man who were cliaging to a large piece of timber like a box. There was a third man with them when we came up but he dropped off just before we got within reach of them. Finally We picked up the second mate. We cruised about for some time shouting out and trying to peer through the darkness, but vrere unable to find any more survivors.” BACK TO THE COLLIER.

Returning to the South Bulli was an even more dangerous task than launching the lifeboat. As the collier rose and fell with the swell of the sea, the wide belting running along the side struck the water with a smack and threatened to catch the side of the lifeboat as she moved up alongside the vessel. Twice the lifeboat got alongside and on both occasions was compelled to sheer off -again in order to avoid being stove in or capsized. Eventually she was picked up, but not before she had been severely damaged.

When the rescuers and survivors were safe ,on deck it was found that all of the Myola’s company had been saved except four.