TRAWLER FOUNDERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 February 1940, Page 2

TRAWLER FOUNDERS

CREW’S FORTUNATE ESCAPE.

WESTPORT, February 12. When the trawler Waitohl, which left Westport for Port Chalmers last evening, began to leak badly .Y'hen well out at sea, the crew of three, Alan Scandrett, William Hart, and T. Sheehan, decided to turn back., and make a dash for safety; but it was only after strenuous efforts that they escaped with their lives, after leaving the vessel at anchor outside the mou.tn of the Orowaiti River, two miles from Westport. . As the water started to rise rapidly in the hold of the Waitohi, it seemed at one stage as if the vessel would have to be abandoned 1 well off shore this afternoon; bub it was not until a mile from the Orowaiti beach, when the engine-room was flooded, that tne men decided to drop anchor and a - tempt to land in a small dinghy. A big surf was running, and the dinghy overturned. Scandretti, a good swimmer, struck out tor the shore oi assistance, while Hart and Sheehan held on to the upturned boat; but when Sheehan was washed away Scandrett turned back and helped him ashore. Hart was washed ashore with the dinghy. All three men were exhausted by their efforts, first in getting the Waitohi almost to port, and then in the battle through the surf. The Waitohi was 65 feet long and or 30 tons gross. She was owned by ’Messrs P. Veale (Greymouth) and AThompson (Westport), before being taken over by Scandrett s Bros., o Greymouth.