SENSATIONAL ACCIDENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 April 1938, Page 6

SENSATIONAL ACCIDENT

STEAMER AND WARSHIP COLLIDE MISHAP IN WELLINGTON HARBOUR. WELLINGTON, April 15. A sensational mishap involving one of His Majesty's ships and the interisland steamer Rangatira occurred .on Wellington harbour on Thursday night. At the height of a north-west gale, blowing in squalls of nearly 70 miles an hour, the Rangatira, which was departing for Lyttelton with about 1000 passengers on board, got into difficulties after leaving the wharf. While steaming to clear Clyde Quay Wharf, her anchor, which had been let go to check her from going too far to leeward, fouled the cable of H.M.S. Achilles which was berthed there. The cruiser was torn away from the wharf, her anchor dragging and all her moorings parting, while the starboard after-part of the Rangatira struck the bow of the Achilles and sustained minor damage. The Rangatira got clear by slipping her cable. The Achilles went aground on the soft mudbank abreast of the entrance to and the inner breakwater of the boat harbour, and at a right-angle to the wharf. She remained in that position for four hours, being refloated on the rising tide, with the assistance of two tugs, shortly .after midnight. The cruiser sustained damage to her propellers and may have to be docked.

A preliminary inquiry into the mishap will be held today.