STEAMER ASHORE

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 195, 13 May 1924, Page 6

STEAMER ASHORE

NGAHERE ON NORTH TIP-HEAD AT GREYMOUTH BELIEVED TO BE TOTAL LOSS CREW ALL RESCUED, BUT SAVE NOTHING By Telegraph—Press Association. Creyinouth, May 12. The Blackball Company’s steamer Ngahere, which is on charter to the Union Company, went ashore when departing over the Grey Bar at 3 p.m. to-day with a full load of timber and coal for Wellington. Tho steamer Regulus preceded her out and whistled to denote that she was touching the bottom, but tho tide was rising, and it was believed that there would be more water when the Ngahere sailed. It is stated that the Ngahere s bow touched first and then amidships, the bow swinging to northwards, and the south-westerly wind and rollers pinning the ship to the North-Tip Head, right on the spot where tho steamer Perth was lost a few years ago. The Ngahere’s crew of 23 had a trying time for over an hour, while tlie seas were breaking across the vessel. shifting tho deck cargo overboard and uncovering the hatches.. By the aid of rockets, lines were got aboard from the shore, and the 23 men were rescued at internals of a few minutes, all being landed before 5.30. The vessel settled in tho sea and is swinigng as on a pivot amidships. She is considered to bo practically a total loss. Nothing was saved by the crew. .... . , The Ngahere, which is a steel screw steamer of 1090 tons gross register, was built at Glasgow in 1908. She is 225 feet long, 33.1 feet wide, and 15.7 feet in depth. Greyniouth bar lias been the scene of many wrecks. Last year the Melbourne Steamship Company’s Perth went aground, there, and was totally wrecked. Other wrecks include the Hawea, Kotuko, Taupo, and Opquri. There have been many other minor accidents.