CREW SAVED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 134, 9 June 1933, Page 3

CREW SAVED.

trawler sinking.

SUDDENLY SPRINGS A LEAK.

HARD PULL in dinghy.

(By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") TOKOMAKU BAY, this day. \t three o'clock yesterday afternoon, when three miles north of Tokomaru Bay and two miles south of Open Bay, ■\Vaipiro, the Auckland steam trawler Serfib sprang a leak in the engine room and later became derelict. All of the crew were Auckland men, and all reached the shore in a dinghy. Captain Flett has left by the motor vessel Margaret W. for Auckland, and if the derelict trawler is sighted she will be taken in tow. The members of the crew are being taken to Gisborne to return by motor to Auckland, where they, will probably arrive on Sunday. Those Who Were On Board. The personnel is as follows:—Captain. James Alexander Flett, of 13, Burton Street, Point Chevalier; mate, Joliu Black, 14, Kiwi Road, Devonport; chief engineer, Harry Samuel, 09, Asquith Avenue, Mount Albert; firemen, William Taylor, 36a, Union Street, City, William Howlett, 6, Ruru Street, Eden Terrace, and John Elliott, 05, Prospect Terrace, Dominion Road; cook, Robert Henderson, 7,- Montague Street, Newton; deck hands, Daniel More, 65, Wellington Street, Albert Jennings, Scotland Street, Ponsonby, and Harry Witherwait, 90, Orfflill Road, Grey Lynn. Taylor, the fireman on duty, and two other'men in the engine room heard a peculiar sharp hissing noise and gave the alarm. The mate informed Captain Flett, who was in the wheelhouse steering,. and that was the first he knew of it; At 3.30 p.m. the trawler's position became dangerous, as in the heavy weather prevailing the ship was making water rapidly. Wlieu the bow rose to the extent of 3ft the dinghy lifeboat was lowered over the stern. Although the dinghy was damaged badly, the ten men pulled away from tlie trawler, bailing fast to keep afloat. Hard Row to Shore. .The wind dropped just as the accident occurred to the dinghy, otherwise there would almost certainly have been loss of life. After two hours of backbreaking rowing the dinghy was sighted from, the shore by Mr. Jock Brennan, a Tokomaru Bay launch owner, who had moved to Open Bay from Orange Bay, as 'he disliked the weather signs. Mr. Brennan himself had been unable to bring his launch in for two days on account of the rough weather. The dinghy, which was in trouble in the surf, was taken in tow at 5.30 p.m. by Mr. Brennan, who risked the weather and landed the distressed crew at Tokomaru Bay wharf about nine o'clock. Mrs. F. Harris, co-proprietress of the Hotel Tepuka, was asleep in bed when eleven half-frozen men, soaked to the skin, hungry and tired out, called for assistance. A big fire and hot meal were quickly prepared and the men were given beds for the night. Drifting Derelict. When disaster overtook the trawler there were 100 baskets of fish on board. The usual catch is from 500 to 000 baskets, which are kept in chilled storage. The derelict trawler was left drifting north at about three knots and settling fast. The drift is sufficient to have carried tho wreck to the East Cape by morning, if she has not foundered altogether. The East Cape lighthouse is keeping a lookout and warning all shipping. The derelict is right in the track of the motor vessel Margaret W., which arrived here this morning, and on which Captain Flett is returning to Auckland.' If it is sighted the Margaret W. is expected to tow the wreck to Hicks' Bay. It was last seen at dusk off Whareponga. The leak was aft in the engineroom and water rapidly rose, quenching the fires and submerging the boilers. The ship did not carry wireless. Captain Interviewed. Captain Flett had to take hurried action. "I cannot yet realise what has happened," said the master. "I was steering at the time. We did not 6trike anything. The mishap was very sudden and it took us all our time to get the boat out in the heavy swell. The watertight compartments were both closed, but the engine room, boiler room and bunker room were all in one, and all the weight was there. The watertight compartments may carry away. The mate, Mr. Black, lost everything and most of the crew lost practically all they possessed. The derelict is about three miles off the shore." Captain Flett is a native of Aberdeen, Scotland. He went to sea at the age of 14 and came to New Zealand in 1922. He has been employed by Sanfords, Limited, for the past seven years. The seas were moderate and a southerly wind prevailed last night. The seas are now rough and there is squally rain. Warning to Shipping. The superintendent of Mercantile Marine at Auckland has issued the following warning to masters: —"Look out for the trawler Serfib, abandoned, yesterday afternoon in a sinking condition five miles north-east of Tokomaru When last seen she was drifting In a north-easterly direction."