ACHILLES CRUISE

Evening Star, Issue 23349, 19 August 1939, Page 20

ACHILLES CRUISE

* SERIES OF MISHAPS LOSS OF PLANE INJURY TO STOKER [Feu United Pkess Association.] AUCKLAND, August 18. The berthing accident to-day was the last of a small series which befell the cruiser during her six weeks’ absence from Auckland. Another was the loss of her amphibian off Aitutaki, in the Cook Islands, and a third was the injury of a stoker on Wednesday. This was the second aircraft the Achilles has lost since she left England toward the beginning of the year on her present commission. The inquiry which was ordered after the accident in the Cook group has not yet been held, but may be opened on Monday, the court conducting it consisting of officers from other ships of the squadron. The Achilles was standing off Aitutaki waiting for the shore pasties to come aboard when the accident happened. As is customary at this exposed island, the ship was slowly cruising in circles when the aircraft, having finished a flight over land, came off to bo taken aboard. Two men manned the aircraft. Pilot-lieutenant Sykes brought-her down and began to taxi up to the side of the ship, and Leading Telegraphist Trent, sitting on the wing, secured by a safety chain, got * ready to hook the machine to the ship’s crane for hoisting aboard. Suddenly just as it came alongside the aircraft) was caught by the swell and overturned. Trent was flung off into the water, and Lieutenant Sykes slipped his safety belt as the craft tipped over and struggled clear. Bottom up, the amphibian did not sink for about half an hour, and for the whole of that time the two men made gallant efforts, disdaining the possible presence of sharks, to secure salvage lines to it. They were assisted by the crews of the two seaboats—a cutter and a whaleboat—which were immediately lowered, but the fact that the machine was upside down prevented the efforts to secure it being successful before it sank. The injury to the stoker occurred several decks down. His leg was crushed in some machinery and a stretcher sling had to be obtained to bring him up the steep and narrow, ladders to the sick bay, where he was attended by the ship’s surgeon. During the night, however he became weak from loss of blood and it was stated that his condition improved only after one of his shipmates volunteered to give a blood transfusion. When the ship arrived at Auckland he was sent to the Auckland Hospital.