WRECK OF A KETCH

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 149, 5 April 1933, Page 7

WRECK OF A KETCH

FAILURE OF ENGINE IN A GALE. TOO DANGEROUS TO HELP. (Per Press Association) INVERCARGILL, April 4. The auxiliary ketch Lily, owned by Mr A. Pascoe, of Inyercargill, came to grief this morning on the rocky northern shore of Bluff Harbour during extremely boisterous weather. She left Half Moon Bay at an early hour with a full cargo of cased fish, and experienced extremely bad weather in Foyeaux Strait. A considerable amount of water was shipped on the trip across and, on entering the harbour her stopped. Use of the sails in such a gale was. impossible, and . the anchor was dropped, but the vessel was gradually driven ashore by the force of wind and sea. With the severe pounding she received it is not believed that she will be refloated. When the crew was seen to be in difficulties the Britannia and the Digger put out to assist, but nothing could be done on the lee shore, as these vessels would only have been courting a similar fate. The crew consisted of Messrs J. Johansen (master), Andrew Anderson and Kenneth Braid, who got safely ashore by means of a dinghy and a communication rope. All were showing traces of the buffeting they had experienced. This afternoon 200 cases of fish were transferred without mishap to an oyster vessel. A later inspection of the Lily revealed that she bad suffered extensive damage and had filled with water. Further attempts to tow her off were therefore abandoned. In her exposed position she will doubtless rapidly breakup. *\ • _,;