THE CAPTAIN’S STORY

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4374, 16 February 1909, Page 2

THE CAPTAIN’S STORY

VESSEL STRIKES DURING NIGHT

STEAMER SINKS SUDDENLY

HARROWING SCENES

ARE THE BOATS SAFE Y

Wellington, February 13 Captain Naylor’s statement was that be left Picton at 6.20 and entered Cooks Stpjt ap 7.5 Q. The weather was clear at tfte time. Half way across it became very ttyick. He set the course which would keep him well clear qf the land, aflqwiqg fqr the squtherly set. He expected to pick qp Pencarrow light, but as he could nqt see jt he was in the act of putting the vessel’s head opt downstream to sea when she struck at 10 o'clock on Thom’s Itock, an out-lying obstruction of Terawhiti.

She struck about midships on the starboard side. The pumps were sounded and water was making in Nos. 1 and 2

holds, gaining slowly on the engine room pumps. The l.f-boats we e swung on au.i women and children sent away. All vety heavy sea was running Iftnd the first boat was immediately smashed, but the occupants were all got on board and transferred to anoth r bo it.

There was plenty of time to get the b ats away, but at 8 minutes to 11 the steamer sank bodily. The captain and several of the crew were still on deck and had to launch rafts and jump for them.

The captain succeeded in reaching the broken boat and got ashore on it. On the way he picked up a man but lost him coming oVer the reef. Two rafts landed about midnight and neither ha t seen any of the boats. The captain, however, did not succeed in getting ashore till an h;ur and a half before, daylight. He found the men on the men on the rafts being cared for by .. Mr McMenamin, a resident in the

locality. As far as he knows there are two boats still out and there is a prospect of those leaching the Ohau Bay if they escape being swamped. Two bodies of women were washed* ashore, but he did nob know their names. He was on the bridge all the way and the third officer was with him. He cannot account for the disaster except on the theory that he was cariied in by the heavy swell and a southerly sea.