SHIPS COLLIDE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 252, 1 August 1940, Page 6

SHIPS COLLIDE

ONE SERIOUSLY DAMAGED.

OFF COAST AT CAPE CAMPBELL.

TUGS SENT TO ASSISTANCE

(Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, J uly 31. A serious collision between two largo overseas ships occurred shortly boloro 9 o’clock to-night at a position 29 miles east of Cape Campbell and 40 miles south of Pencarrow Head. The vessels involved were the British motor-ship-Armadale (5086 tons) and the Norwegian tanker, Ole Jacob (830’G tons). The Armadale was seriously damaged in No. 1 hold, hut the extent of the injury to the tanker was not ascertainable to-night. News of the collision was inade known by an S O S message transmitted by the Armadale, the master of which reported that his l ship was badly holed forward. No. I hold was flooded. The weather was fine, the sea smooth, and the Armadale was in no danger, as long as the bulkheads held. The tanker was standing by the Armadale, which asked that assistance be sent to her. Immediately the news was received, steps were taken to send tugs to the assistance of the Armadale. The Wellington Harbour Board’s tug T'oia and the Union Steam Ship Company’s tug, Terawhiti, with heavy towing hawsers and other gear, were dispatched shortly before midnight, and were expected to reach the Armadale about 4 o’clock to-morrow morning. The Arniadale will be towed to Wellington, and may be expected to arrive during the forenoon. !S!he will be placed on the floating dock for repairs. Nothing Avas known locally to-night of the circumstances in which the collision occurred.

The Armadale, which was coming up from the south, was bound west through Cook Strait. It is understood that she was in light trim. The tanker, Ole Jacob, which Avas bound south, Avas fully loaded with a cargo of motor spirit. The Armadale, Avhich is Avell known in NieAV Zealand ports, is a cargo vessel of 5066 tons 1 gross register, built in 1929, and oAvned by the Australian Steam Shipping Company, Ltd. (Trinder, Anderson and Company), of London. The Ole Jacob is a large motor-tanker, of 8306 tons gross register, 470 feet in length, by 59 feet beam. She Avas built last year at Gothenburg, SAveden. l'or Mr Jobs Hansen, of Arendal, Norway.

BOTH SHIPS IN PORT.

GAPING HOLE IN MOTOR-SHIP. WELLINGTON, This Day. The motor-ship Armadale and the Norwegian tanker Ole Jacob came through the Wellington heads about daylight, the former in toAV by a tug and the later under her oavu poAver. The Armadale, which has a gaping hole in her starboard side big enough to drive a bus through, was tied up at Aotea Quay, near the floating dock, and the tanker anchored in the stream. It is understood her boAvs are damaged. .

BOTH WITHOUT LIGHTS. REPAIR. JOB WILL BE BIG ONE. WELLINGTON, This Day. The force of the collision was evidenced by tlie damage to the tanker. On both sides of the hull for about 40 feet back from the stem, through less on the starboard side, the plates are buckled and dented. The stem and the. massive hawse pipes are fractured and the winch gear on deck, about 25 feet above the waterline, was reduced to scrap metal. Damage was also done to gear in the forepeak, though the destruction did not extend as far aft as on the unprotected deck. The ship also suffered damage underwater as she is slightly down at the. head as she lies alongside the whan'f. The commander is Captain L. Krough. A number of men were thrown from their bunks by the force of the collision but none were injured in either ship. Considerable damage was done, to the Armadale, which was badly holed forward. Both ships arrived at Wellington under their own power. Apparently the Ole Jacob struck the Armadale which gave the first news of tlie collision in an SOS, the Master (Captain H. E. Webb) reporting that his ship ivas .badly holed forward and that No. 1 hold was flooded. The tanker stood by the Armadale lvliich requested assistance. The Armadale arrived at about 7 a.m. and the tanker about an hour later. The tanker will tie up at the oil lvharf at Miramar.

The ships wei'o travelling under Avar conditions Avithout lights. The hole in the Armadale is roughly square in shape but Avider at the top. It extends for some distance beloAV tlie Avaterline to Avithin about six feet of the foredeck, with a broken portion about 25 feet Avide jammed, hingeAvise, backAV'ards into the hold.

A quamity of cargo Avas lost, but how much is not yet knoAvn.

Captain Webb trimmed the ship by shifting the nort cargo of oildrums. Lloyd’s surveyor made an examination of the ship. The repair job will be: a big one and: with so large a section of the hull and frames damaged it may be necessary to get new material from Australia, according to Mr Turrell (manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company).