STEAMER LOST AT SEA

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 34, 10 February 1927, Page 11

STEAMER LOST AT SEA

FIVE OF CREW MISSING

SURVIVORS SWIM ASHORE

(United Press Association. —Copyright.) SYDNEY, 9th February. The steamer Galava, of 413 tons gross, foundered off Terrigal, about midway between Sydney and Newcastle, early this morning. Three survivors of . tho crew of twelve, including tho master, managed to reach shore shortly before noon, having spent nino hours in the water. Captain Pearson, master of the illfated vessel, said that I'->e Galava had loaded a full cargo of coal at Catherine Hill Bay for Sydney. He was asleep in his cabin, when the mate rushed in and awakened him with tho news that the ship had suddenly developed a heavy list and was in danger of turning over. ALL OVER IN A MINUTE. Captain Pearson rushed on deck, sounded the siren to awake tho members of the crew sleeping bel'w, and threw down lifebelts to them as they emerged from the forecastle. It was then pitch, dark, and only a minute or two elapsed till the Galava turned turtle and disappeared. He thought all aboard had lifebelts; some also had planks and pieces of hatches. It was useless striking out in the dark, so he waited till daylight, when he found the crew had been separated. He could see no one, so he set out for the beach, three miles distant. Shortly after he landed he met two others of the crew. Captain Pearson could give no explanation as to the cause of the disaster. The sea was only moderate. A PLUCKY RESCUE. The tug St. Olaves was immediately dispatched from Sydney for tho scene to search for survivors. Police from Terrigal are also conducting a search in a launch. The tug St. Olaves picked up two of the Galava's engineers in the breakers near the rocks at Terrigal. One of the engineers was holding on to a grating and the other was clinging desperately to a lifebuoy. Realising that the latter was in an exhausted condition, a fireman from the tug pluckily dived to his assistance. The bodies of Charles Lancaster (mate) and Louis Wilson (a seaman) were brought ashore at Terrigal. The five still missing are: James Christie (cook), Peter Siagnola (fireman), A. Brown, J. Hanscn, and Benjamin Gilt, all seamen. •