No Report On Inquiry Into Stranding

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30602, 19 November 1964, Page 12

No Report On Inquiry Into Stranding

(From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU, November 18. An investigation into the stranding of the 9976-ton Hain Line vessel Treneglos was conducted by Mr C. M. McLaren, as acting Superintendent of Mercantile Marine at the Custom House, Timaru, today.

At the inquiry, which was held in camera, were marine advisers from Christchurch. No statement was available to the newspapers. Mr McLaren said a report on the preliminary investigation would be submitted to the Minister of Marine (Mr Scott).

The Treneglos underwent a further underwater examination today by three skin-divers. The vessel is clear forward from No. 4 hold but from there aft to the stern she has been badly knocked about. There are lumps of rock in some of the big holes in the stern in the double bottom tanks and the plating on the port side abaft is badly twisted. Indications are that a major repair job is required. Divers were still sealing leaks in the stern today caulking and driving wedges into the gashes. This work is being done to facilitate the pumping out of the tunnel shaft before the welders take over. Some bulkheads are weeping and it is possible the ship may have to be towed to dock. CALL FOR LABOUR A call by the Waterfront Industry Commission for wharf labour resulted in the signing on of 60 men more than the 210 registered. Five ships were being

worked today including the Treneglos at No. 2 wharf north.

Bags of milk powder from the Treneglos were still being recovered by tractor and trailer from the beach south of the port today. Bales of wool cast over the side of the ship were being recovered by skindivers from the reef in fine weather.

Yesterday it was estimated two gangs of waterside workers assigned to numbers 4 and 5 hatches reduced the

8000 tons of cargo still on board by 1000 tons. It is expected that by tomorrow the bulk of the dry cargo in these holds will have been unloaded and that efforts will be directed towards removing wet cargo consisting of milk powder and casein.

Braced against the bulkheads, workers could hear the water swishing about in the bilges. The vessel is carrying approximately 450 tons of water

in her propeller shaft tunnel. Four trawlers, the Seafarer, Viking. Souvenir and Nella, each carrying two members of the South Canterbury Subaqua Club, were at the scene of the stranding for most of today.

The weather deteriorated in mid-afternoon and diving

operations and the recovery of the bales of wool were fraught with difficulty. There is a big current on the reef and many of the bales retrieved this morning resembled large clumps of tumbleweed having been moved and rolled round on the bottom of the reef.