THE PORT BOWEN STILL ASHORE

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22768, 21 July 1939, Page 12

THE PORT BOWEN STILL ASHORE

THREE TUGS NOW ON SCENE COMBINED EFFORT TO BE MADE MODERATE SWELL RUNNING ■(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WANGANUI, July 20. At midnight to-night the stranded vessel Port Bowen was still ashore about two miles north of Castleclifc. Three powerful tugs are on the scene, the Kahanui, of Wanganui, and the Terawhiti and Toia, from Wellington. A combined effort to refloat the vessel is to be made at 1 a.m. A combined effort by the three tugs was not possible until after 10 o’clock to-night, the hour when the Wellington Harbour Board’s Toia arrived on the scene. The unwinding of a hawser which had become wound round the port screw of the Kahanui early this morning took longer than was expected, ana an intention to use both the Terawhiti and the Kahanui at midday, when the tide was high, had to be abandoned. The Terawhiti made'an effort by itself, but that proved no better than attempts made by the Kahanui soon after the Port Bowen became stranded. By the late afternoon the Kahanui, freed of the hawser, was ready for action again'. She and the Terawhiti stood by the Port Bowen throughout the night, and when the Toia arrived she went straight to her task. Rain fell in the early part of the night, and foggy conditions ruled for a time. Towards 10 o’clock the weather cleared a good deal. There is a moderate swell running. Lighters worked during the day unloading cargo from the Port Bowen. The master of the Port Bowen is Captain F. W. Bailey, who is making his first voyage in command after being chief officer in a number of vessels of the Port Line fleet for the last 20 years.

ATTEMPT AT REFLOATING FAILS [THE PRESS Special Service.] WANGANUI, July 21. The three tugs, made a combined effort to pull the Port Bowen off the beach at 1 a.m. It failed. Another attempt will be made at 11 a.m. to-day, when the tide will be high.