SHIP HELPLESSLY ADRIFT

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21521, 10 July 1935, Page 11

SHIP HELPLESSLY ADRIFT

MAHENO'S TOW-LINE

PARTS

OONAH LOSES TOUCH

NO ATTEMPT AT RESCUE

TILL TO-DAY (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH—COPYRIGHT.) (Received July 9, 11.55 p.m.) SYDNEY, July 9. The old Union Company steamer Maheno, which had been sold to Japan, and which is carrying a crew of eight, is drifting helplessly in a cyclone off Ihe Queensland coast. As her propellers have been removed, the vessel is little better than a derelict.

The Maheno was last reported 60 miles south-east of Sandy Cape, and she was then being driven towards land by terrific seas.

The steamer Oonah, which had the Maheno in tow, stood by all yesterday afternoon, but late last.night sent a wireless message stating that something had gone wrong with her steering gear.

The Oonah, which has a complement of 31, is heavily laden and is difficult to manoeuvre. It seems that the tow-line broke early yesterday and all attempts to pick it up failed. Shore stations and other ships are having difficulty in keeping in touch with the Oonah. Her wireless operator is a Japanese, and atmospherics are very bad. Intensification of the cyclone is forecast by the weather bureau. In response to an urgent message from the master of the Oonah late last night, the powerful tug Carlock left Brisbane this morning to try to rescue the Maheno, but she cannot reach the Oonah until after dark, and it will then be impossible to locate the Maheno. The Oonah reported that she had completely lost sight of the Maheno, which will probably not be located until some time after daybreak to-morrow. The westerly wind is likely to keep her off the coast.

Lighthouse keepers report that it is impossible to see more than two miles out to sea. The Maheno has wireless equipment but in the absence of any messages from her it is doubted whether the skeleton crew aboard can work it.