TO THE RESCUE!

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 129, 2 June 1922, Page 5

TO THE RESCUE!

KATOA AND ARAHURA IN GALE. TE AWHINA'S ROUGH TRIP. RELIEF PARTIES PUT ASHORE. (By Wireless.) (From Out Own Reporter.) S.S. KATOA, 4 a.m. this fiay. The Union Company's steamer Katoa had a memorable night responding to the appeal for assistance. She had been six hours on the voyage from Auckland to Whangarei when, at 11.10 p.m., her wireless operator picked up a S.O.S. call. The night was stormy, and battling against strong head seas the cargo carrier had left the Barrier 25 miles behind when she received the signal of distress. With strong seas behind, her 'course was hastily retraced, and she came round the northern end of the island, exchanging rockets with the wreck. Though she actually had passed tlie Wiltshire, the latter's position was not discovered. The difficulty of the Katoa's task, under such tempestuous conditions and the darkness of the night, was accentuated as revealed subsequently by the frightfully snug manner in which the doomed vessel was piled against the coast. SHORE PARTY LANDED. The Katoa, hardly seeing a length ahead, eoaste.d about until G. 30 a.m., when she received a wireless message from the Arahura, stating that the latter was ten miles from the wreck and proceeding there at a. speed of fourteen; miles an hour. The captain of the Katoa remained at Tryphena, and kept in touch with the Arahura by wireless. In this manner it was arranged that the Katoa should send a party ashore. Accordingly, a party of five—the chief officer, purser, third engineer and two able seamen—set out about 9 a.m., and the second party, consisting of the boatswain and an able seaman, was dispatched a few hours later with storm

CAPTAIN B. G. HAYWARD, Commodore of the Federal Co.'s Fleet. appliances and blankets. The ArahuTa hung around till 3 p.m. Her 100 passengers will long remember the buffeting she received until advised to proceed <m her journey south. Before departure her captain was advised that the Wiltshire had succumbed to the terrific force of the seas, having broken in two, and become a total wreck. PATHETIC GROUPS. The party on the Te Awhina had an unenviable trip, but the powerful little vessel made good progress against a stiff north-easter despite the fact that she was shipping seas continually, ihe nearest point was sighted abou. mi-idav, and when Rosalie Bay opened up the ■Wiltshire was revealed piled up at an. acutfl angle, seemingly her own length, from the shore and her back obviouslybroken. The forepart from the funnel forward was clearly defined, and some lifeboats were descernable in the davits. Pathetic little group? could be made out 1 huddled to the starboard on the forecastle, and though the tug approached within two or three hundred yards, it was powerless to render any assistance. No signs of recognition were made from the unfortunate vessel, and the tug returned to Tryphena. There her party boarded the Katoa. In the evening the tug went out into the roadstead and brought off the Philomel party with their salvage apparatus. Arrangements are no.v being made to convey the same to the cliffs at daylight, and it is not anticipated there will be any serious difficulty, in getting a line aboard and rescuing the ISO officers and crew from their pitiable plight. An optimistic atmosphere exists for the success o£ the venture. Xo doubt exists that the remainder of the "Wiltshire will remain firmly embedded on the rocks, and it is hoped to get the shipwrecked crew off this morning and bring them to Auckland by the Katoa. There are no tidings of any casualties. Heavy rain is falling and the wind is otill blowing a gale. PLUCKY AIRMEN. OFTER TO TRY TO REACH BARRIER. WITH 'EXTRA GEAR. In addition to the life-saving apparatus which was sent down to the wreck yesterday, another set has since arrived from Wellington by train. This was sent up by the Marine Department, and Captain H. H. Sergeant communicated with the rescue parties to see whether this extra gear was required. If it -was wanted he arranged with 3lessrs. Walshe Bros., of the Xew Zealand Flying School, to make an attempt to take it down to Tryphena by seaplane. In view of the reassuring message that "was received this morning. Mr. Carter, manager of the ("nion Steamship Co. stated that it would be unnecessary to eend the gear. The task which Messrs. Walshe Bros, offered to undertake was a most hazardous one. They deserve the highest praise for agreeing to try and transport the gear by this method. t