RESCUE AT SEA

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 69, 14 December 1932, Page 10

RESCUE AT SEA

Men in Disabled Launch ENGINE BREAKDOWN Picked Up Off Pencarrow TRAMP’S TIMELY ARRIVAL After idrifting about helplessly for most of the day, and when hopes of rescue were rapidly vanishing, two men aboard a twenty-foot launch were fortunate enough to be sighted and picked up yesterday afternoon by the tramp steamer Newton Elm when about seven miles out to sea off Pencarrow Head. The Newton Elin, which was passing •through Cook Strait on her way from Auckland to. . Westport, brought them to the vicinity of the harbour entrance where they were transferred to the Janie Seddon and brought into port. The two men aboard the launch were Mr. G. Hudson and Mr. C. Usher, who both live at Petone. They left Paremata in the launch about four o’clock yesterday morning, their intention being to call at Island Bay and later proceed to Petone. They cleared the Terawhiti Rip about four hours later, and when round Sinclair Head the engine stopped, all efforts to restart it being unsuccessful. Mr. Hudson, who owns the launch, and. intended using it for fishing and pleasure purposes, believes the stopping of the engine was due to water having reached the magneto. Propeller Strikes Launch. It was about 3.30 p.m. that the launch was picked up by the Newton Elm. Messrs. Hudson and Usher estimate that at that time they were about seven miles off the beam of Pencarrow. Although the sea was then fairly rough the launch was riding comfortably, her nose being kept to the waves by, means of a jib sail. After the rescue had been made the disabled launch got under the stern of the Newton Elm. and came into contact with the steamer’s propeller, which knocked a hole in the bottom of the launch.

Although- Captain Toder had the launch in tow it made water rapidly, and he had no alternative but to cut it adrift. After the rescue immediate steps were taken by Captain Toder to communicate by radio with the authorities in Wellington. Arrangements were made for him to divert his course, and outside the heads he was met by the Government steamer Janie Seddon. There the men were transferred and brought into port, reaching . the city shortly after six o’clock. Ship’s Captain Praised. The two rescued men speak In high praise of Captain Toder and the crew of the Newton Elm. “I was sitting In the bottom of the boat and had practically given up all hope,” said Mr. Usher. “I do not think we could have lasted till the morning; in fact, I doubt if we could have hung out that long, for the sea was becoming rougher. I happened to look out, and all of a sudden saw the Newton Elm. We both waved for all we were worth, but I think the captain of the steamer saw us as soon as we saw him. “The way the captain swung round and brought the Newton Elm up alongside us was a great piece of seamanship,” said' Mr. Usher. “The captam and his crew treated us wonderfully, and could not do enough for us. It was a stroke of luck for the both of us that we were saved, for the Newton Elm had been delayed by bad weather on her run down the east coast from Auckland.” From Nauru Island.

The steamer Newton Elm, 4218 tons, arrived at Auckland from Nauru Island to unload her cargo of 7500 tons of phosphates. The vessel was at Auckland 13 months ago. She left England last June and proceeded to Makatea, where she loaded phosphates for Adelaide. Afterwards she took a cargo of wheat from Australia to China, and from China she went to Japan and bunkered before she proceeded to Nauru Island to load her cargo for Auckland. The Newton Elm left Auckland at 6 p.m. last Friday in ballast for Westport to load bunker coal before returning to Nauru Island for another cargo phosphates.