PERILS OF THE SEA

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1033, 24 January 1911, Page 5

PERILS OF THE SEA

HOW THE AOTEA WAS LOST. CRASHES ON ROCKS NEAR HARBOUR LIGHTS. PARISIANA CASTAWAYS. By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright Cape Town, January 23. The wreck of the Shaw Savill liner Aotea yesterday.morning occured when tho vessel wn9 entering port for bunkering purposes.. She struck at 1.40 in the morning on a .rocky bottom at Mouille Point. The Green Point and harbour lights werecloso on either hand. A resident, named Pentz, three hundred yards away, says he was awakened by a crash, .and saw blinding signal lights. Ho then distinguished the lights of two vessels, k thickish haze prevailed.

Others say. the Robben Island light was visible .across tho'bay. The sea was in its calmest mood.'

Penti telephoned for 'assistance,, but life-saving, requisites were not' needed, the' crew remaining on board. ' ,

The Aotea is Wedged- fast, and .is absolutely motionless, with a slight list. She lies in twenty-six'feet, of ..water, broadside to the. shore.'. There.is water in both holds.. ".

The ship's, bottom is badly, damaged, and she will probably be a total loss.

Stevedores,, with tugs and lighters, were very busy throughout Saturday and Sunday, carefully removing 350. tons of dynamite, which was among the general cargo. Their operations were facilitated by the calmness of'the sea..

.'There is nothing.'to"! show., how the Aotea' struck. ~; T ho only.sign : of damage from the; shore is a broken rudder.

S;-FIBE BREAKS -OUT.. (Rec. January 24, 0.5 a.m.)

Cape Town, January.23. Reuter's correspondent states that tho Aotea's cargo included 300 tons, of dynamite, which was removed during the week-end to a hulk in the bay. . ,

A' fire broke out on. the Aotea at ten minutes past, eleven, on Sunday night abaft tho funnel, and spread to the galley and deck-house.. Tugs from the docks extinguished'it,' after it had burned for ninety mi.hutcs.'., ~ '■ . , , ~

'■' Mouille-.Point' is' : ah'o'Ut three-quarters of a mile ■ westward of-the breakwater at Cape Town. - A lighthouse was formerly placed.at.this spot, but was abolished in 1908. Green Point is another threequarters of a milo beyond Mouille Point. It has a white flash light vi'siblo'for a distance of 13 miles. Duiker Point, where tho Maori was wrecked in 1909, i 9 about twelve miles south .of Green. Point. .

Near Mouille Point, and at a stone's throw from the beach, aro the remains of the Athens,which was driven on'shore in 1865.' Although within' a:few ; j-ards of land not a soul succeeded, in■', getting ashore. . '