OCEAN TRAGEDIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 June 1921, Page 5

OCEAN TRAGEDIES

— — AUSTRALIAN WRECKS. SURVIVORS’ NARRATIVES. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association., SYDNEY, June 27. 'l'he story told by the “Our Jack’s” survivors dispels the theory as to a collision with the Fitzroy. The Our Jack was en route from Camden Haven .'to Sydney timber laden. She struck a gale and heavy seas during the night, and commenced to leak. Early in the morning the engineer reported that the water had beaten him. As the vessel was sinking, it was decided to abandon her. With great difficulty, owing to the dangerous «ea, they got a lifeboat afloat. For an hour before the Brundah arrived this boat was knocked about helpless, and several times it was overturned. The crew were badly exhausted. Some dropped or were washed off. The Brundah, by splendid seamanship was got alongside. ( It was a difficult task transferring the spent survivors to the Brundah in the raging sea, four receiving injuries in the transition.

The ‘‘Our Jack” was still afloat when the Brundah left the scene. The names of the “Our Jack’s” drowned are: Captain Forbes, Seamen Wirkman, Neilson, and Erikson, and cook C. Hillston.

It is believed that the Fitzroy’s passengers numbered 13, and her crew 13.

There is no connected story of the wreck yet. The survivors had a terrible time. They were knocking about for hours in a rough sea, and became greatly exhausted. They state that they noticed one of the other life boats bottom upwards, and it is surmised that its occupants numbering about 10 perished. The boatswain named Johansen, was wearing a life-belt, and he was washed ashore. He lay for several hours exhausted before he was able to walk to the township and report the wreck. FITZROY CAPSIZED. SEAMEN'S ADVENTURES. Recd Noon. ' SYDNEY, This Day. Latest news from the wrecks is that the timber and cargo of the Fitzroy shifted and could not be righted in consequence of water which entered the engineroom preventing a supply of steam to the donkey engine. The vessel capsized without warning precipitating all aboard to the number of thirty into the water, with the exception of the four survivors. The bodies of two seamen were recovered, but the remainder are missing. Our Jack sprung a leak and compelled the crew to abandon her. The survivors of both vessels narrate graphic stories of thrilling escapes. Carl Jansen explained that early on Sunday morning, the timber shifted in a heavy sea, and washed the cattle on deck to the port side. All hands were called out but owing to the seas invading the engineroom and stokehold they were unable to work the steam winches. The Fitzroy took a. heavy list to port, turned over and sank. He climbed into a waterlogged boat which had broken adrift from the ship and drifted about all day, trying to reach the shore. He arrived in the surf at 4.30 but the buffeting was too severe for the boat, which capsized, necessitating his swimming to the shore. Two boys in the bow were alive but were unable to stand the surf and died on reaching the shore. '

Olaf Johansen relates a remarkable escape. He went down four fathoms and on rising he saw a ladder and oar. Ho proceeded to have a rest, but two pigs tackled him endeavouring to push him off, eventually he left the ladder fo the pigs. He next encounterd an upturned boat with the second officer and cliie/ engineer clinging to it. Having unsuccessfully attempted to right the boat he continued to swm ashore. A cow, swimming wildly, approached and endeavoured to hang on to him, but he beat it off and swam on. He reached the surf and darkness then set in, and he rested on tho sand, then walked to the home of Mr. Walker, agent for Allan Taylor and Company, and walked in. He had been over thirteen hours in the water. Walker declares that Johansen’s nerves were amazing. He strolled into the house despite the terrible experience as if the shipwreck was an every day occurrence.

THE CANASTOTA. Recd 8.30 a.m. SYDNEY, This Day. Although no sign of the Canastota has. been seen, the Maheno reports sighting a floating hatch cover two hundred miles from Sydney. She did not stop to investigate. MADDENED ANIMALS. SYDNEY, Later It is possible to hope that a passing vessel may have picked up the Fitzroy’s missing boat, but this is considered as not very likely in view of the heavy sea running at the time of the disaster. The missing inc'ude Captain Colvin, officers, engineers two lady passengers, and the stewardess. The survivors state that everybody behaved with the greatest coolness. There was no sign of panic, but when the Fitzroy’s deck cargo and timber •, shifted, the cattle became panic stricken and made the position more desperate, and the launching of the boats difficult. When she capsized human beings and cattle were thrown into the sea together amongst heavy logs. There is little doubt that numbers were crushed and maimed amongst the timber, and by the maddened animals, and lost their lives in this first fierce fight for life. A search along the coast and sea for possible survivors continues. The warship Marguerite is assisting. Much wreckage and dead cattle have been washed, ashore but there is no further sign of survivors or bodies.