SHIP SAVED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 223, 20 September 1935, Page 8

SHIP SAVED.

H.M. LEITH TO RESCUE.

HOEGH TRADER STRANDING.

PROMPT REPLY TO S.O.S. CALL

A thrilling interlude in the otherwise calm routine of a Pacific Islands cruise ■was experienced by H.M.S. Leitli, which returned at noon to-day from a three months' trip to 17 island ports. On the evening of July 27, when the sloop was anchored at Ngau, Fiji Group, she received an S.O.S. message from the Norwegian motor vessel Hoegh Trader, which had been picked up by the Philomel, Auckland, and rebroadcast on the Leith's wave length. The Norwegian ship taid that slie was stranded on Horseshoe Shoals, latitude 17.19 south, longitude 179.17 east. She had requested the Monterey, which was awaiting orders to the S.O.S. signal, to stand by. All hands on the stranded vessel were busy with the lifeboats. Ngau, which is some 30 miles from Horseshoe Shoals, is a dangerous coralreefed inlet and the Leitli was obliged to await daylight before leaving port. She reached the scene of the wreck .it 9.30 on the following morning. The commander, Captain Oliver Bevir, said that he found the Hoegh Trader lying on the reef at an angle of about 17 degrees. She was stuck fast and her captain was unwilling to commence towing operations until he had lightened the forward part of the ship of its heavy deck cargo of lumber. The motor ship Noumea, which also responded to the S.O.S. call, was standing by and Captain Bevir, realising that the Hoegh Trader was in no danger at the time, returned to Suva in the afternoon, leaving the salvage work to the Noumea. However, after repeated attempts to tow the Hoegh Trader off the reef, the Noumea had to give up the task. Second Distress Call. A second distress call was sent out from the disabled vessel at 10 p.m. on July 31 to the effect that divers were urgently needed. Although night leave had been given to the majority of the Leith's company at Suva, Captain Bevir at once ordered all hands to return to the ship. Rockets were fired, and the siren sounded, "All hands return to ship." By one o'clock in the morning, every member of the crew, with the exception of the ship's mascot, a tortoiseshell cat, had been recalled and the Leith sailed out into the night on her second attempt to save the stranded ship. Seven hours later she reached the Horseshoe Shoals, where it was found that the Hoegli Trader was in a much better position. Hundreds of tons of logs had been jettisoned, and were floating, a danger to shipping, in the vicinity. Divers were sent down, and they discovered that the hull of the Hoegh Trader was lying on a flat bed of coral. After tugging for two hours, working from side to side, the Leith managed to move the vessel slightly. Next morning the sloop sailed into the shallow water between the reef and the shore. Nosing against the starboard quarter of the Hoegh Trader, she pushed her to and fro until she slipped back a short distance into deeper water. Then, as the tide rose, the Hoegh Trader floated free again.

As the Norwegian vessel was on her way under her own power to Suva for temporary repairs, her captain radioed Captain Bevir: "Many thanks for your valuable assistance in twice coming to our aid." A recent cable from Sydney stated that the Hoegh Trader is now in dock there for repairs, which will cost £20,000.