ACCIDENT TO LAUNCH

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22597, 30 December 1938, Page 10

ACCIDENT TO LAUNCH

ASHORE ON GREEN POINT REEF

HULL OF VESSEL BADLV HOLED

Mr W. Toomey’s cruising launch, Omarama, ran on to the Green Point reef at Akaroa on Tuesday night while on the way from Lyttelton to Akaroa to spend the holidays. The hull was badly holed and the rudder and propeller seriously damaged.

The launch was towed off the reef by Mr W. Pool’s Orari, and beached at tne Akaroa baths for repairs. She was repaired temporarily on Wednesday and refloated, but will very probably have to be towed back to Lyttelton. Mr Toomey said that the night was particularly dark and although he had g fair knowledge of the harbour and the reef, he was deceived by the lights, and had no idea he was so far inshore.

The Akaroa Borough Council has recently been in communication with the Marine Department about the danger of the reef to fishing and' pleasure launches. The council suggested that the Green Point buoy should be lighted. The department has suggested as an alternative that the wharf signal lights should be altered, but this is not acceptable to launch owners and others, who consider the only way of eliminating the danger is by lighting the buoy.