RESCUE IN MID-OCEAN.

Taihape Daily Times, 29 April 1919, Page 6

RESCUE IN MID-OCEAN.

DOOMED STEAMER'S CREW

The steamer Doongarra, which arrived at Sydney, from New York, via Panama, recently, was instrumental in saving the lives of the whole crew on her way to New York to load for Australia. On the voyage from the Azore s to , New York, the Dongarra experienced heavy weather, and a high sea was still "running on February 11. when a wireless call for help was picked up. The S.O.S. message came from the new American steamer Acomma. j On arrival at the scene the Don- j garra found that the American stea- I mer, which was bound from New York | to Brest, had been badly damaged by | the heavy seas Her rudder had been i impossible to steer the vessel, she was j at the mercy of the waves, which poured over her, flooding the engineroom and extinguishing the fires. The water also found its way into the holds, and by the time the Dongarra hove in sight she had settled down in the water, and her decks were awash. The captain and his wife, together with the whole of the members of the crew, numbering about 50 men. were all huddled up on the only dry portion of the vessel, On the approach of the Dongarra portion of the distressed crew took to their own boats, and pulled across to the rescuing steamer. They were taken on board the Dongarra, and members of the crew of the latter vessel returned to the sinking steamer in the same boats and bruoght back the remainder.

Everyone was safely transferred to the Dongarra, and the rescuers did not overlook a pet dog which was on board. The Dongarra sent out wireless warnings to other vessels regarding the danger to navigation which the derelict represented. She then proceeded on her way to New York, where she landed the rescued captain and crew.