STEAMER SINKS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18922, 10 February 1927, Page 9

STEAMER SINKS.

FIVE OF CREW MISSING. VESSEL TURNS TURTLE. DISASTER OFF N.S.W. COAST. idy rAM.r-ir.Mii association—rorYSio.rT) AKD S.I. CiDUS AiSOCUTIOS.) I Received February Pth, 8.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, February !). Tho steamer Galava, of 418 tons gross, foundered off 'lerrigal, about midway between Sydney and Newcastle., early this morning. Nino of tho crew are missing.

Three survivors, iiieluding the master, managed to reach tho shore shortly before noon, having spent nine hours in the water.

Captain Pearson, master of tho illfated vessel, said tho Galava had loadwL n . fu " car ß° of °° al at Catherino 11 ill Bay for Sydney, lie vh asleep in his cabin when the mate rushed in and awakened him with the news that tho ship had suddenly developed a heavy list, and was in danger of turning over.

Captain Pearson rushed on deck and sounded a siren to awake members of the crew sleeping below, and threw down lifebelts to them as they emerged from the forecastle. It was then pitch dark. Only a minute or two elapsed till the Galava turned turtle and disappeared. He thought all aboard had lifebelts, and some also had planks and pieces of hatches. It was useless striking out in the dark, so he waited till daylight, when he found that the crew had been separated. He could see no one, and so set out for the beach, three miles distant. Shortly after he landed he met two others of the crew. Captain Pearson could give no explanation as to the cause of the disaster. Tho sea was only moderate. The tug St. Clares was immediately dispatched from Sydney for the scene to search for the snmvors. .FoHtee .! from Terrigal are also conducting » search in a launch. The collier Duckenfield, on arrival at Sydney from Newcastle, reported slfcht* ing two bodies, one of which had a lifebelt around it.

TUG RESCUES TWO ENGINEERS. FIREMAN'S PLUCKY ACT. (Received February Oth, 11.10 pjn.) SYDNEY, February P. The tug, Bt. Olaves, picked up two of the Galava's engineers in the break* ciß near the rocks at Terrigal. One bf the engineers was holding to a grating and another clinging desperately to a ' lifebuoy. Realising that the latter was in an exhausted condition, a fireman from tho tug pluekily dived to hU assistance. The bodies, of Charles Lancaster, the mate, and Louis Wilson, a seaman, were brought ashore at Terrigal. Tho five still missing are James Christie, the cook, Peter tt fireman, and A. Brown, J. Hansen, aaa Benjamin Gilt, all seamen.

ANOTHER BODY *OUND. r \' " (Received February 10th, 1 a,'qh) SYDNEY. Fehruat* 0. The body of Christie w«a ftnnd.at Terrigal to-night. The DtMutoflftjld.waa . " unable to lower a boat whejn aba tigoiad / the bodies, as reported earlier,:** ihk sea was too choppy. Sha waitatl till . dawn, but saw nothing ac the ship had drifted too far. '■