NO SIGN OF THE SERFIB.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20878, 10 June 1933, Page 11

NO SIGN OF THE SERFIB.

BELIEVED TO HAVE GONE DOWN. MASTER UNABLE TO ACCOSTS FOR MISHAP. (rases assoccatiok sb&ko&au^ GISBORNE, June & Sinking by the stern and wallow* ing in the trough of the heavy swell, with occasional seas sweeping over her and the water gaining on the pumps at the rate of eight feet in half an hour, the Auckland trawler Serfib had to be abandoned by her crew of 10 men late yesterday afternoon, near Waipiro Bay. After two hours of hard pulling in a leaky boat, which was damaged in launching, the crew had the best of fortune in sighting the rising lights of the fishing launch Huia, which took them aboard, and landed them last night at Tokomaru Bay. The crew comprised Captain J> A. Flett (master), John Black; (mate), H. Samuel (engineer), Vf, Taylor, W. Howlett, J. Elliott (firemen), R. Henderson (cook), D, More, A. Jennings, and H. Whettaway (deck hands). Reports from various points along the coast north of Waipiro Bay indicate that the vessel was not sighted during the night or early this morning, confirming Captain Flett's opinion that the Serfib did not survive long after her abandonment. Captain Flett is a trawling masteß of lifetime experience in Home and New Zealand waters, and knows! the coast welt He fully realised* the peril of attempting a landing on the shore of Open Bay, but tKd condition of the trawler left no) alternative. He is certain that the trawlerstruck nothing, and the only theory 1 to account for the sudden inrush of water was the breaking of a seacock under the engine-room* Three pumps failed to keep the water in check, and half an hour after the first alarm the fires wera put out and steam released as a precaution. "I cannot yet realise what has happened." Captain Flett said. 'lt was very sudden. It took us all bur 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 lost practically all they possessed. The crew of the wrecked trawle* Serflb arrived in town late this evening with the exception of Captain Flett, who went on to Auckland by the Margaret W from Tokomaru Bay to-day.

The Mate's Story. The mate, Mr J. Black, said the vessel left Auckland on Tuesday morning and after operating in the Bay of Plenty the following day reached Hicks Bay on Thursday morning but had no luck with the trawl and the ship proceeded towards Tolaga Bay. He was reading in his bunk at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and heard an uncommon tremor and jumped up. Just then a fireman, J.. Elliott, rushed in and said the ship was making water fast. At that time a good southerly sea was running and the vessel was approximately four miles from land. He turned her head for the land. The skipper came up and investigated and found the report correct. The lifeboat was hurriedly prepared and lifebuoys put in. In half an hours time the water had risen eight feet in the engine-room. The vessel started to labour and it was decided to abandon her. A big roll was on and it was a hard job getting tne lifeboat out. The keel was damaged . in the process and the lifeboat started to leak, two men being tap* constantly bailing. Within a few minutes? of leaving the ship there , was over seven inches of water in ' the boat. The sea was becoming increasingly rough and the men s position was most perilous, though the crew took the matter good humouredly. Mr Black, who was steering, spied a light which proved to be the launch Huia. A? the men left the lifeboat it filled with water*

Pumps Unable to Cope with Water. Mr Samuels, chief engineer, corroborated the story as to the trawler's mishap. On hearing the news he rushed to the engine-room and put all the available pumps on the bilges. The dynamos were then started to see if light could be obtained to show where the water was coming in, and the fireman on watch was instructed to get as much steam on as possible to drive the ship towards the land. In ten minutes' time the water was rising through, into the stokehold and flooded it. The cranks were then splashing water on to the dynamo and put - it out of action, leaving the engineroom in semi-darkness. When he left the engine-room the water was up to his knees and corning in fast. He paid another visit to the engineroom to lookr at the steam gauge, but the dynamo had failed. The water then was level with the dynamo head. ■ ■ . All the crew took the affair..,quite philosophically. They leave for Auckland by service car tormorrow morning.