GRIM TOLL OF THE SEA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 7 April 1926, Page 9

GRIM TOLL OF THE SEA.

Loss of the Dorrigo,

DISASTER DESCRIBED BY SURVIVOR. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Association, BRISBANE, April 6. A tireless search by iaml and sea for the twenty-two missing men <‘f the Dorrigo proved fruitless, aed hopes of reseuo arc now considered slender. Many lifebelts have boon washed ashore. A son of Captain Gray says lie was asleep in the forecastle' when a fireman rushed in and shouted: “She is going over.” Gray, with a dozen others, rushed on deck. The Dorrig) was then slowly heeling over. As ’.he crew tried to launch the 1 oat, it capsized, and floated upside down beside the ship. Cases of benzine rattled off the deck, followed by eases of fruit. As the Dorrigo took another dangerous .lurch the crew jumped overboard. Captain Only remained with the ship as she sank. Logs shot out of the water like corks, and the sea was .soon strewn with flotsam and jetsam. A stroke of luck .saved the captain. As he .sank. a. portion of the after sundeck planking, covered with canvas, rose to the surface underneath him. Some more of tho crew reached a raft of logs, and some were on the lifeboat. '

As tho afternoon advanced the parties drifted apart, and they lost sight ol them at. dusk. As night closed hi a school ol sharks hovered round the .sundeek on which Cray and his son were floating. When daylight came there was not a sign of smoke or sail. The school of small sharks had disappeared, and the vigil was taken up by three huge brown sharks. 'I lie Moruya turned up some hours later, and rescued them. A parly has left to smirch Fraser Island. list of missing. Jho names of the Dorrigo’s missing are : H. Bndsby (chief engineer). A. MeTutyre (second officer). Li. B. Smith (chief engineer). C. Hiteimison (second engineer). C. IT. Smith (third engineer). C. Wren (donkey man). I. Lowe (boatswain). C. Foley, J. Fisher, T. Gelling and J. Dempsey (seamen). F. May (deck hoy). . I. Dawson, F. Lawless, A. Stiiawav, E. Hosall, J. Wreaeh and T. Froggart (firemen). .Dixon (chief steward). E. Klctil (assistant steward). J. McCourt (chiel cook).

IT. S torch (assistant cock). Tho majority of the missing belonged to Brisbane and other parts of Queensland.