Freighter Drifting After Fire

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31988, 15 May 1969, Page 1

Freighter Drifting After Fire

(New Zealand Press Association) WHANGAREI, May 14. An engine-room fire aboard the freighter World Fuji was put out tonight, but the ship is without power. Late tonight it was drifting in a calm sea about 60 miles north-east of Great Barrier Island.

The former minesweeper H3I.N.Z. Inverell is standing off the vessel, which sailed from Tauranga for Japan with a cargo of timber. Two naval officers have boarded the freighter.

A spokesman for the Search and Rescue Organisation in Auckland said tonight it was not known if there had been any casualties. The freighter radioed for assistance this afternoon and

reported a deep-seated fire in the engine-room. The 10,650-ton World Fuji first gave her position as 60 miles east of Mokohinau Island, but was unable to give an accurate report of damage because of steam and intense smoke. Under Charter The four-year-old Britishregistered vessel is owned by the Knox Shipping Company, Ltd, Hong Kong, but is at present under charter to the Shinto Shipping Company, of Tokyo.

The Inverell sped to the scene from Great Barrier Island and was off the World Fuji about 9.15 p.m. The ship was stopped and showing no lights. She told the Inverell by radio that the engine-room fire was out and requested “fire expert.” Lieutenant C. Dixon, an engineer, and Lieutenant G. Wright, the executive officer, boarded the World Fuji. The ship has a crew of about 30. Her skipper, Captain H. C. Dalziel, is an Australian, the chief engineer is Canadian, and the chief officer is English.

The radio officer, third mate and second officer are Indians and the rest of the crew Chinese.