VESSELS COLLIDE AT SEA

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23087, 1 August 1940, Page 6

VESSELS COLLIDE AT SEA

Freighter Badly Damaged TUGS SENT FROM WELLINGTON tP&KSS ASSOCIATION TfcLEOftAM.) WELLINGTON, July 31. A serious collision between two large overseas ships occurred shortly before 9 o'clock to-night at a position 20 miles east of Gape Campbell and 40 miles south of . Pencafrow Head, The vessels involved were the British motor-ship Armadale (5080 tons) and the Norwegian tanker, Ole Jacob (8306 tons). The Armadale was seriously damaged in No. 1 hold! but the extent of the injury to the tanker was not ascertainable to-night. News of the collision was made known by an SOS message transmitted by the Armadale, the master of which reported that his ship was badly holed forward. No. 1 hold was flooded. The weather was fine, the sea smooth, an the Armadale was in no danger, as long as the bulkheads held. The tanker was standing by the Armadale, which asked that assistance be sent to her. . Immediately the news was received, steps were taken to send tugs to the assistance of the Armadale. Ihc Wellington Harbour Board’s tug Tola and the Union Steam Ship Company s tug, Tei’awhiU, with heavy towing hawsers and other gear, were dispatched shortly before midnight, and were expected to reach the Armadale about 4 o clock to-morrow morning. The Armadale will be towed to Wellington, and may be expected to arrive during the forenoon. She will be placed on the floating dock for repairs. Nothing was known locally to-night of the circumstances in which the collision occurred. The Armadale whici, was coming Up from the south, was bound west through Cook Strait It is understood that she was in light trim. The tanker Oie Jacob, which was bound soutn, was fully loaded with a cargo of motor spirit The Armadale, which is well known in New Zealand ports, is a cargo vessel of 5066 tons gross register, ’built in 1029, and owned by the Australian Steam Shipping Company. Ltd (Trinder, Anderson and Company), of London. The Ole Jacob is a large motor-tanker, of 8306 tons gross register 470 feet in length, by 59 feet beam. She was built last year at Gothenburg, Sweden, for Mr Jobs Hansen, of Arendal, Norway.