A TOTAL LOSS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 78, 29 September 1924, Page 3

A TOTAL LOSS

THE STRANDED OROWAITI STORY OF THE MISHAP RESULT OF FOG AND CURRENT. In thick fog and with a slight swell coming in from the sea, the oil-tanker Orowaiti, en route from Wellingtno to Port San Luis Obispo, California, struck on the rock-bound Point Sal, about eighteen miles south of her destination at 7.30 o'clock on the night of the 12th. August. The graphic story of the events following the stranding was told to a "Post" representative this morning by members of the crew, who returned to Wellington this morning by the R.M.S. Tahiti from San Francisco. ECHO SOUNDS DANGER. Fog had been experienced for two nights previous .to the disaster, but the weather had been fairly good. The fog came up on the fateful Tuesday night a3 before, and in accordance with the Board of Trade regulations, fogsignals were sounded. The first warning of danger came when, about 7.30 o'clock, the echo of the siren was heard on the ship, and it realised that land must be perilously near. The captain and the mate were on the bridge at the time, and full-speed astern was ordered immediately. It was too late, however, for such a move, and although the vessel was not making full-speed she struck the rocks forward with a great deal of force. The reversal of the engines again and again had no effect, and it was evident that the vessel was firmly wedged on the rocks. Lifeboats were then swung out and life-belts donned by the crew, -there was no sign of panic and stations were taken up with the greatest coolness and dispatch. S.O.S. SIGNALS SENT OUT. In view of the situation and since it was not possible to gauge the point at which the ship struck, S.O.S. signals were sent out for a time, then the forward tanks were sounded and were found to be making water. Pumps were started to get the water out of the forward tanks, and No. 7 tank aft was nlled m an endeaovur to raise the bow of the Orowaiti and allow her to slide off the rocks, with the assistance of the engines. -This was of no avail, however, and when it was found that the ship remained on a fairly even keel and was not settling down, the S.O.S. calls were discontinued. Help would soon have been forthcoming had it been required, for there were two vessels within easy steaming distance, one only fifen miles away. A wireless message was then sent to the Union Co.'s agents in San Francisco, acquainting them of the position, and later a salvage vessel arrived and stood by.

REPEATED SALVAGE EFFORTS FAIL. Moorings were then put out to sea, and on the 18th August the first attempt at pulling the vessel ,off was made, the combined power of the three salvage vessels being used, without result. Thereafter, efforts to get the Orowaiti clear were mado repeatedly but without success. On the eighteenth day after striking, when tho finarpull was made, the main engines began to shift and accordingly steam was shut off and the engineroom closed. Plates dowil below wore buckling, and the vicinity was unsafe for the engineers. Then, and not till then, were salvage operations discontinued, and on the following day all the crow, with the exception of Mr. Smith, the second ihate, who remained on board to look after things, transferred to one of the salvage boats and were taken to San Francisco. Captain Brown, of the Underwriters' Association of America, who was in charge of the salvage operations, decided that further attempts would be useless and., tho vessels left tho wreck as a total loss on 9th September, togethor with Captain Smith, the master of the Orowaiti: CREW ARRIVES HERE. Twenty-two New Zealand members of the crev,; arrived back by the Tahiti, and the rerhainder, comprising about nine men, returned to their homes in England. In spite of the risks attendant upon the salvage operations, thoro were no casualties during the timo the vessel wa s on tho rocks, and the New Zealand men arrived here fit and well. "There was really no danger for us," said ono of the crew this morning. "Wo were forced to bunk aft, but found it impossible to got to sleep owing to tho pounding of tho vessel on tho rocks. It was remarkable that we were changing watch and the deep-sea lead was being taken just" beforo tho ship struck. Tho boats were iswung out and wo grabbed life-bolts immediately, but the greatest attention, was paid to orders, and thore was no panic. Later it was found that there was a rock aft. two amidships, and one forward, and the hull was punctured in several places. Tho weather after the stranding was good except for a couple of times, when a heavy swell came in, but it was impossible to land owing to the surf on the shore. We were not sorry when we transferred to the tug with our gear, and left for 'Frisco."

A photograph of the ill-fated vessel, taken from tho shore by an' American nowspapor man sumo time after tho stranding, shows her well in to the shore ami very liigluup on tho rucks. It is stated that a 2-ltnot current runs to tho south-east in tlio vicinity, and the disaster is attributed to this cause, combined with tho heavy fug which was ruling at the time. I'lio.Orowaiti was return'm" to San Luis to load oil again for AVelhiigton, under the auspices of tho Union Company, aml was very liglit in consequence, so that she ran well up on to tho rocks. In view of tho stato of the Orowaiti, Messrs. Hind, Rolph, and Company were empowered to invite tenders for the purchase of the wreck.