SIXTEEN LIVES SAVED

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 99, 21 January 1936, Page 9

SIXTEEN LIVES SAVED

Supposed Samoan Tragedy Ends Happily SHIP HAURAKI TO RESCUE Apia, January 19. The 16 Samoans believed to. have been drowned in the reported sinking of the launch Tiafau 15 miles off Aleipata on Friday were brought, to port this morning by the motor-ship Hauraki. When the Hauraki sailed on Saturday afternoon for Vancouver Captain Reid was instructed to search the straits between Upolu and Tutuila for the missing launch. Later four of the crew and passengers of the Tiafau arrived from Aleipata 1 by the launch Mngia, having left the sinking Tiafau and made Aleipata after rowing all night. Unfortunately the wireless plant at Aleipata was out of commission, the mast having been destroyed in a gale. From information received from these survivors, there appeared to be little hope of saving the remaining passengers, and Captain Reid was thus informed by radio and asked to proceed on the voyage. Captain McClymont, harbourmaster at Apia, however, fitted out two launches and was about to go out when a message was received from Captain Reid that he had picked up the survivors. \ It appears that after changing her course and proceeding northward to ■Vancouver, the Hauraki sighted the submerged Tiafau close by and Captain Reid manoeuvred the vessel to a position where passengers could be picked up. It is reported that the third officer and other members of the crew jumped into the water to assist. All the remaining passengers and members of tlie crew, who were clinging tied with ropes to the wreck, were safely picked up, but nothing could be done for the launch and she was abandoned. It is expected that the Tiafau will be a total loss. She was carrying Australian and New Zealand mail to connect with the Monterey at Pago Pago. The weather is now’ normal after the'storm. It is estimated that there is a 70 per cent, loss of bananas. The shipment of 5000 cases by the Cape York to Auckland in February has been cancelled. The Director-General of tlie Post and Telegraph Department, Mr. G. McNamara, was on Sunday advised by the superintendent of tlie Apia radio station, as follows: The motor-boat Tiafau, with Australian and New Zealand mails to connect with tlie Monterey at Pago Pago, and 16 passengers and a crew of four, sank 15 miles oil Aleipata. The captain and three passengers readied Aleipata in a dinghy. Sixteen Samoans were drowned, and all tlie mails were lost. RADIO STATION WRECKED ’l'll ' Director-General of the General Post Office, Mr. G. McNamara, advises that Hie following messages have been received from lhe superintendents of the Apia radio and Suva radio stations : — "From Apia: Word lias been received by hand (hat tlie wooden building housing the radio station at Aleipata‘was demolished in tlie hurricane on Thursday and tlie apparatus wrecked beyond repair.

"From Suva: The storm is centred near Soul hern Dau. It is moving faster south-west and apparently decreasing in intensity.”