LOST WITH ALL HANDS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19363, 16 July 1928, Page 8

LOST WITH ALL HANDS.

SCHOONER CAPSIZED.

NO HOPE FOR CREW OF EIGHT.

TREACHEROUS HOKIANGA BAR

[THE PRESS Special Sonrice.]

AUCKLAND, July 15.

The gravest maritime tragedy on the New Zealand coasts since the sinking of the coastal steamer Ripple, on August 7th, 1924, occurred at 4.30 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, when the auxiliary schooner Isabella de Fraine, capsized on Hokianga bar, with the loss of all of her crew of eight.

Strong westerly weather, at times reaching gale force, has obtained along the northern coast for over a week, creating difficult navigation conditions at bar harbours.

The Isabella de Fraine left Onehunga on Thursday afternoon, and when crossing the bar at the mouth of the Hokianga river on Saturday afternoon, was seen to capsize, apparently being overwhelmed by one of the great rollers which, combined with the formation at the mouth of the river, so very often make negotiation of the channel hazardous. The little vessel rolled right over in the heavy seas, and it is believed impossible that any of the crew of eight can have survived. Members of the crew were:—Captain A. Berridge, aged 47; D. Teixeira, mate, aged 53; A. Kendrick, engineer, aged 31; H. Trevarthen, assistant engineer; B. Merritt, cook; F. Liewendhal, and A. Suvanto, able seamen; M. Kennedy, ordinary seaman. Captain Berridge leaves a widow, a son aged 20, a daughter aged 15, and a son aged 7. Mr Teixeira leaves a widow, a son aged 18, and daughters aged 15 and 8. Mr Kendrick was married six weeks ago, and had just returned to duty from bis honeymoon. The two able seamen have no relatives in New Zealand.

The Hokianga bar is reckoned one of the most dangerous on the northern coasts, the channels constantly changing in direction and depth. Fourteen years ago the iron barque Joseph Craig became a total loss there through the parting of a towline in a squall, but no lives were lost on that occasion.

Latest reports state that the Isabella de Fraine has disappeared, and there is no hope of survivors,

The Isabella de Fraine is well known in Auckland shipping circles, and has been engaged in the New Zealand coastal trade for over ten years. She is a wooden Bchooner of 110 tons gross, owned by A. G. Frankham, Limited, and was built at Camden Haven, in the north of New South Wales, in 1902. For auxiliary purposes she had an oil engine of 60 horse-power. After running for a considerable time in the GisborneAuckland trade, she was transferred to the Hokianga service, trading first from Auckland, and in more recent months from Onehunga to Hokianga. It is recalled that last year the Isabella de Fraine was nearly sunk in Hokianga harbour, when, on May 30th, she struck a submerged rock off Karaka Point, a hole being knocked in the forward part of tho hull. The pumps were manned, but as.the vessel continued to make water the captain beached her and plugged the hole 'with a sack of flour. Eeference to the incident published at the time, remarked how fortunate was the escape from such a tragic fate as the little sailer met not much more than a year later. It is fourteen years since the Hokianga bar claimed its last ship. On August_7th, 1914, the barque Joseph Craig, while being towed outward for Melbourne By the tug Ohinemuri, parted the tow-line and became a total wreck inside the bar. The crew landed safely wirtout much difficulty, but the southerly gale blew with hurricane force on the night of the wreck, completely breaking up the barque, the timber from which was scattered all round the north head. The Joseph Craig was an iron vessel of 714 tons gross. Among the crew was Mr W. E. Sanders, who, as Eoyal Navy Reservist with the British Fleet during the Great' War, attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander, and won the Victoria Cross in one of. the most brilliant minor engagements of the anti-submarine campaign. Discussing the risks of the bar, Captain M. Pierotti, Marine Superintendent of the Northern Steamship Company, who as a master in the fleet has had many years' experience of working the bar harbours of the northern peninsula, deemed it probable that the bar, which moves north and south from time to time, was to the north when the Isabella de Fraine came to grief. In that case a vessel entering had to turn broadside on. Once inside, normally she would then have to contend only with broken water, but occasionally one of the great rollers would come through unbroken, and catch a ship at a disadvantage. Captain Pierotti surmised that this might well have been the case in this instance, or that the steering gear had carried away. Mostly signals were easily picked up at Hokianga heads, although on occasions, the early morning haze behind the land compelled masters to stand well to northward to pick . up indications.

CAUGHT BY BIG ROLLER.

HOW THE SHIP FOUNDERED.

(PHZSS ASSOCIATION TELZGBAM.)

AUCKLAND, 3uly 15,

Further particulars of the wreck of the Isabelle de Fraine were sent tonight by the "Herald's" special reporter, who reached the scene of the wreck, on the isolated coast, by aeroplane. In the moderate south-west breeze that was blowing, the Isabelle, responding to semaphore messages hoisted at the signal station, swung from her course outside the bar and came dipping through the main channel. Alone in the fore-rigging, Captain Berridge watched the dangerous channel mouth cutting through tne rough seas. The ketch came within the channel when suddenly she made for the bar. The wind caught her canvas and the huge booms swung across. Spray washed the deck. Strained bv the quick jar, the Isabelle listed on her side. Following tne winds came heavy swell's, catching the vessel as she lay momentarily on her side. In a flash she turned completely over, her bottom facing skywards, thrown from the rigging, the captain was caught with tne seamen ana sucked beneath as the Isabelle lurched and turned turtle. • Trapped like rats in a hole the eight men of the crew met their death, while the great green waves battered on the hull. For twentv minutes the helpless derelict drifted and then sank. The tide was running almost full in when she attempted to take the bar. Why she hesitated, and did not come through is baffiinjr all seamen along the harbour. Ex-masters of vessels say that perhaps it was because her rud-

der became loose, or because the steering chains broke. That the captain changed his mind is indicated by the statement of the Harbourmaster, who described how the Isabelle seemed suddenly to sweep her bow round, after she had started to dip into the channel. When she was on her back no rudder was seen and no trace of the crew was seen after they sank. So far there has been no trace of the bodies, but wreckage is coming ashore.