STEAMER'S MISHAP.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 245, 15 October 1926, Page 5

STEAMER'S MISHAP.

STRIKES LITTLE TIRI REEF. REFLOATED THIS MORNING. * OMAXA'S INTERRUPTED VOYAGE. On her return trip from Matakana to j Auckland the Northern Co.'s small coastal steamer Omana struck Little Tiri Reef, •' off the north-west corner of Tiri Island, • at an early hour this morning. She was 1 floated off some seven hours later, appar- ' ently but little damaged, and was able \ to come into port under her own steam. ' After leaving Matakana at a late hour last night, the Omana, which was carrying a small quantity of cargo but no passengers, experienced fine weather until midnight, when the conditions ! became thick. On approaching Tiri the weather became worse, there being a heavy rain falling. Owing to the poor : visibility the steamer's speed was ' reduced, and at the time of striking the reef shortly after half-past two this \ morning the little vessel was only feeling her way. News of the mishap was first received in the city at ten minutes past four o'clock, when the signalman at Tiri reported: "Unknown steamer firing rockets. Can hear whistle blowing. Visibility poor owing to heavy rain.'' Board's Launch Dispatched. Twenty minutes after Tiri's message had been received the Harbour Board's launch AVaitemata was dispatched fot the island. At this time it was not known what vessel was in distress. When the Waitemata reached the island the distressed vessel, which proved to be the Oaina. was seen to be on Little Tiri Reef. At tins' time the company's steamer Clansman, wheh had noticed the Omana's rockets when passing Tiri on her inward voyage from Russell, was standing by. As the conditions were favourable, no time was lost in making preparations to get the Omana off tlie reef. A kedgc anchor was taken from the Clansman to the Omana and then laid out some distance from tlie reef. At 10 o'clock, with the assistance of the Waitemata, tlie Omana was got off. Shortly after the Omana had been refloated, the steamer Kawau. witlt Captain R. C. Hammond, manager of the Northern Company, and Captain M. Picrotti, marine superintendent, on boara t arrived from Auckland. Later all three vessels left for Auckland, the Omana being under her own steam. "We saw a rocket and put back to see what it wa9 all about," said a passenger by the Clansman, which was the first of the three steamers to arrive. "The Omana asked for assistance, so we loaded the necessary gear into one of the ship's* boats," ho said. On arrival this afternoon the Omana berthed at the Central wharf. She will be placed on the slipway for inspection. In the meantime, tlie Omana is to be relieved by the Gael, which is to sail for Surfdale at half-past six this evening. Built at Auckland in 1913, the Omana is a small wooden steamer of 49 tons net. After trading between Dargaville and Tangiteroria for some time, she was sold by the Kaipara Shipping Company to the Northern Company about five and a-half i years ago. Since then she has been regularly engaged in the Hauraki Gulf services. She has not previously experienced any mishap.