WRECK IN FOG

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 60, 8 September 1937, Page 12

WRECK IN FOG

SOON BROKEN IN TWO

BOATS IN TURBULENT SEA

COASTER ON REEF

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, September; 2.

Running ashore during a heavy fog, the New South Wales coastal steamer Urana (519 tons gross) broke in two at Old Bar. at the mouth of the Manning River, and became a total- loss. Only her bridge and upper . works showed above the water a few hours after she ran on the rocks. .

A remarkable rescue of one man left behind on the Urana when the other 16 members of the crew sought the lifeboat was the feature of; the wreck. This man, a Norwegian who had recently joined the crew, either.refused to leave the Urana or failed to jump into the boat in time, the men in the lifeboat, finding it impossible to .put back because of the pounding waves.

Watchers on the beach saw the Norwegian clinging to the ship's structure just out of reach of the waves breaking over the two sections of the wreck. Word was sent to Taree, 20 miles away, and a surf boat was brought from there to Old Bar by motor-lorry. Experienced men quickly manned the surf boat and rowed out in the darkness through heavy seas. With extreme difficulty and in peril of their lives, the surf boat crew manoeuvred alongside the Urana. The hazardous task of safely getting the Norwegian into the boat was performed, and the shore was reached. . PEOPLE ON SHORE HELPLESS. The postmaster at Old Bar (Mr. C.. Parish) was the first to see that the vessel had got into difficulties. ; "I was sitting in the post office, which overlooks the bay, at 9 p.m.,". he said, "when I saw the light of a vessel coming out of the heavy fog. It wag heading straight for the' shore. About 600 yards out it struck a sunken reef. I heard a. shuddering jar. . I gave the alarm, telephoned Harrington, • where I knew there was a rocket apparatus, and notified the tug at Forster. Then I ran down to the beach. A few minutes after she struck the vessel sent up one rocket after another. About an hour later the watchers on: the beach saw the vessel begin to break in two. The crew could be seen through the heavy fog running about on deck. They made no attempt. to lower the boat. • "So thick was'the fog that we. who were on the beach'watching helplessly, could not identify the vessel. We waited anxiously for the rocket apparatus.' Our surf boat had been taken to Taree for repairs. Less than two hours after she first struck, the vessel suddenly broke in two and settled rapidly. We could see men scurrying about on the- deck. Then' a boat was lowered. We watched men jump from the decks into the sea. They' were picked up, but the boat did not-leave the vessel's side for some minutes. Then it started for the beach through a fairly heavy surf.'. "■

"Suddenly we saw a man's figure on the bridge of the wreck. By this time both halves of the vessel had sunk, and only her upper works were showing. Waves were breaking over both sections. The man on ■ the vessel seemed to be lashing himself to the rigging. When the boat reached the beach our first question was about the man still aboard. The men: told 'us simply, 'He wouldn't cdme.'- They were all wet and exhausted. They told us the wrecked vessel was the Urana and that they had lost their bearings in the fog. We took them to a' pavilion in the town and' gave them warm blankets, hot; tea, and sandwiches. There were 16 of them in the boat and fortunately- none of them was injured."