VESSEL ON REEF

Press, Volume C, Issue 29680, 25 November 1961, Page 14

VESSEL ON REEF

Radio Signal Heard (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) SUVA, November 23. Radio amateurs have reported an unidentified vessel is stranded on a reef “somewhere near Fiji” and has sent out distress signals. The acting-harbourmaster for Suva (Captain P. G. Hough) told reporters that early this morning the messages were picked up at Nandi from American and Australian amateur radio operators, and from a place believed to be Pitcairn Island. The messages said that S.O.S. calls had come from the vessel, whose signal was I.R.L.T. A Royal New Zealand Air Force Sunderland aircraft on operations from Suva was sent as far as Minerva reef, about 360 miles south of Suva, and another aircraft on a navigational flight has been told to keep a lookout near Kandavu Island, 80 miles south of Suva. All ships near Fiji have beeai l asked to keep a listening Watch. Earlier this week, one of the catchers of a Japanese fishing fleet ran aground near Beqa Island. The crew were transferred to the mother ship, Tenyo Mara 3. The abandoned catcher is still on the reef and heavy seas have prevented salvage attempts.