SEAMAN LOST OVERBOARD

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25289, 15 September 1947, Page 6

SEAMAN LOST OVERBOARD

Gael In Heavy Seas Off Greymouth SHELTER SOUGHT AT NELSON From Our Own Reporter GREYMOUTH, September 14. John Morris, aged 19 years, a seaman in the 46-ton motor vessel Gael, was washed overboard from the ship last evening when the Gael encountered unusually heavy seas off the Greymouth bar. * The Gael, unable to enter Greymouth oj- Westport during the weekend, because of the rough sea, had to make for Nelson, where she berthed late this evening. When the Gael signalled the port authorities at Greymouth last evening that a member of the ship’s company had been washed overboard, the full name of the victim was not received, since the Gael was wallowing in heavy seas off the port and the taking of a signal flashed in the Morse code was difficult. It was thought, however, from the portion of the signal which was read and acknowledged that a man named Johnson, or 'Johns, had been drowned. With heavy seas running late yesterday afternoon, the Gael could not enter Greymouth and waS directed to go on to Westport. There, also, the dangerous” signal prevented her betthing, and she went on. to Nelson. When she failed to berth at Westport this morning, some concern was felt for the vessel, but the master of the Kartigi, which berthed *ht 10 a.m. to-day, reported that he had seen the Gael off the point at Karamea at 3 a.m. Police officers at Greymouth and Cobden were patrolling the beaches yesterday in search of Morris’s body which might have been washed up by the tide. Account Given by Captain In a telephone conversation with a representative of “The Press” this evening, the captain of the Gael (Mr J. Regnaud) said that the vessel had arrived at Nelson at 10.45 p.m., after encountering mountainous seas all the way to Farewell Spit. After the Gael arrived about a mile off the Greymouth bar yesterday, said Mr Regnaud, heavy seas were making and about 6.15 p.m. he sent Morris below with a message to the engineer to reduce speed. As the boy left to carry out this task a huge wave came up under the counter, lifted the ship’s stern, and turned the vessel round. The sea crashed aboard and Morris, who was on the after-deck, was presumed to have been washed overboard. It was not until 20 minutes afterwards that Morris was discovered to be missing, said Mr Regnaud, and a search for him was unsuccessful in the ’high seas that were running. Morris was single, and had joined the crew of the Gael three weeks ago. His parents live at Kanieri. Up till late last evening his body had not been recovered. The Gael had left Greymouth earlier this week with a cargo for Jackson’s Bay in South Westland, and was returning with a load of empty drums, skins and a motor-truck. After unloading at Greymouth, her usual port of call is Hokitika, but as the port is unworkable just now, she was to have loaded for Wellington.