LAUNCH WRECKED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 119, 22 May 1945, Page 3

LAUNCH WRECKED

SURVIVOR'S STORY

YOUNG DOCTORS MISSING

O.C. SYDNEY, May 18. A newly graduated doctor, who was saved after 11 hours in the sea and is believed to be the only survivor of a party of five doctors and one medical student, gave a graphic description of the foundering of a launch at the height of the great storm which lashed the coast between Sydney and Newcastle on Tuesday night. The survivor, Dr. Lan Collins, aged 22, was one of six Sydney medical graduates who, after their final examinations, had been on a fishing holiday in the 42-foot launch Robin May. The other five were Dr. Archibald Pursell, Dr. John AshleyThompson, Dr. Richard King, Dr. George MacCullum and Mr. Peter Whitehouse. Dr. Collins said that the party had left Catherine Hill Bay, near Newcastle, hoping to reach Sydney by dusk. The launch was powered by a gas producer unit. When they reached Broken Bay a storm, appeared likely and they decided to shelter for the night inside Broken Bay. The launch was turned about, but the seas became rougher and the wind, which was head-on, became stronger. They decided then to try to make Port Jackson. However, a "strong current had developed running northward and they had made little progress before darkness. Terrific Thunderstorm A terrific thunderstorm swept over the sea from the west and towards midnight the position appeared to be so serious that his companions and himself put on lifejackets. "It was so dark I don't exactly know what our position was when we were struck by a sudden violent southerly gale," said Dr. Collins. "This would be about 3 a.m. We would then be some miles off the coast and not far from Sydney Heads. I would not be certain. "When the gale struck us the launch seemed to break up immediately and the next thing I knew I was in the sea. The waves were huge and I don't know how I survived. I believe I could hear some of my mates calling out. It was so dark it was impossible to see anything. I seemed to be drifting for days and days when I noticed a ship approaching and I knew then I would be rescued." The ship was the collier Wallarah. When she was near Barrenjoey, and two and half miles from the coast, wreckage was seen by the second mate, Mr. Alexander Frederick Shepherd. Shortly afterwards he heard a weak voice coming from the sea and saw a man floating about 200 yards away. An attempt was made to launch a lifeboat, but this was impossible because of the mountainous waves. The master, Captain Knitson, then decided to steer the steamer as close as possible to the man, who was strapped in a lifebelt. After great difficulty the collier was manoeuvred into such a position that when Dr. Collins rose on a wave, a member of the crew was able to reach him, and grab his clothing. Wide Search for Survivors Naval and Air Force personnel have co-operated with police, fishermen and medical students in a wide search of the coast for possible survivors without finding any trace. Wreckage of the launch has been found on the coast as far afield as Terrigal. , , The launch belonged to the father of Dr. Pursell. He bought it nearly three vears ago, when it was named Platypus, after it had figured in the tragic death of William Malcolm McLean, 31. , On February 11, 1942, Mr. McLean's body was found trussed with sheets and with the legs weighted with fish plates, in Rushcutter Bay. Subsequently a man was acquitted of having murdered McLean. It was stated that McLean had been killed on the launch by a man in self-de-fence. , . Widespread damage was caused in the Sydnev area by the terrific gale which was accompanied by violent thunder and drenching rain. About 4 a.m. the Manly ferry Dee Why, moored at Manly wharf, snapped its lines and crashed broadside into the big swimming pool enclosure. The entire promenade fence curved inwards. Portion of the concrete wharf carried away as the bow of the ferry plunged into it. The ferry was towed off, little damaged, about 9 a.m. on Tuesday. . Houses were damaged, electric railway, electricitv and telephone services temporarily interrupted, trees uprooted and small craft on the harbour foreshores swamped. The peak of the gale came between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. when a wind velocity of 73 m.p.h. was recorded at Mascot. Highest recording at the weather bureau was 51 m.p.h. at 3.40 a.m. Between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. the bureau registered 170 points of ram and during the whole night 280 points.