A FALLING DERRICK

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 108, 3 November 1926, Page 8

A FALLING DERRICK

BOATSWAIN'S DEATH ON TURAKINA.

An inquest concerning the death of William, Adlan, aged 51, boatswain on the steamer . Turakina, who whs killed on his ship on Saturday, wss held yesterday afternoon before the Coroner (Mr. E. Page, S.M.). Percy Henry Horn Fletcher, an A.8., said that he was driving tho port winch on the Turakina just before the accident. He had heaved .up on the winch to ease the chain span on the derrick, which meant that the full weight of the spar rested on the lifting wire. The deceased, who was pulling on the guy rope to get the derrick in line with the crutch, gave the signal to lower, and witness did so, reversing his lever about an inch. He then heard a crash, and saw the deceased and the derrick lying on the deck. The lashing of the wire rope on the greasy winch drum had carried away and let the coils slip round the drum. There was nothing wrong with the gear so far as witness knew. To Mr. H. F. O'Leary (for the owners of the ship}: The method used was that commonly adopted in lowering derricks. Adlan tyas experienced in such operations. To the Coroner: The accident, in his opinion, was caused by the carrying away of the rope. Robert James White, another A.8., said that the rope that carried away was a strong one, similar to that with which other derricks had been lowered. The drum was greasy because a new rope had been used for loading cargo and the lubrication had come through. ' Another seaman gave evidence that he saw the derrick hit the deceased on the head. Louis Fenton, an inspector of gear for the Marine Department, said that he had examined the gear and- found no fault with it. In his opinion, a riding turr had chafed the lashing and pinched it, instead of the wire. To Mr. O'Leary: If tho barrel of the drum had been dry the locking turn would have been sufficient to hold the wire. The Coroner found that the deceased had been accidentally killed by being struck by a falling derrick on tho Turakina while carrying out his duties.