RIVERINA ASHORE

Evening Star, Issue 19535, 18 April 1927, Page 6

RIVERINA ASHORE

HUDDART, PARKER PASSENGER SHIP OH GABO ISLAND DRIVEN BY GALE VESSELS STANDING BY. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, April 17. (Received April 18, at 1.30 a.m.) A wireless message received to-night states that the Huddart, Parker steamer Riverlna, from Hobart to Sydney, with a big list of passengers, is ashore one and a-half miles south-west of Gabo Island, the centre of the cyclonic storm.

The steamers Iron Baron and Port Nicholson wirelessed that they. are going to her assistance. At 8 o’clock the Nicholson was half an hour’s the Port Nicholso mvas half an hour’s steam from the stranded vessel.

HD MEDIATE DANGER

LITTLE LIKELIHOOD OF BEING

REFLOATED,

SYDNEY, April 18

(Received April 18, at 10.40 a.m.)

The Riverina left Hobart for Sydney at noon on Saturday, and experienced fresh weather till Sunday morning, when the wind rose to a gale and hcavv seas from the south-east were encountered. The visibility became bad, and towards dusk the thick clouds were accompanied by heavy rain. The vessel went ashore at 7.15 p.m. on a sandy bottom. Late last night she was bumping badly. The ship has 142 passengers aboard, and the crew' numbers-.about 100. The steamer Port Nicholson is standing by, and other steamers, including the Iron Baron, the Goulburn, and three-trawlers, will bo fit tho scene this morning.

Two powerful tugs, after bunkering, will leave Sydney to-day.

In the meantime the Riverina is in no immediate danger, but the weather is too rough to permit tho transhipment of passengers. Heavy storms along the cost interrupted telegraphic communication with Gabo Island, the lines being down in several places.

Captain Parry, who commands the Riverina, thinks that there is little likelihood of the vessel being refloated.

[Tho Riverina is a steel _ screw steamer of 4,753 tons gross, which was built in 1905 by Sir J. Laing and Sons, Ltd., Sunderland, for Huddart, Parker, Ltd. Her chief measurements are: — Length, 370 ft; breadth, 491 t 7in; depth, 22ft Sin. Melbourne's her port of registry. Gabo Island is off the northern part of the Victorian coast J