THE TAINUI DISASTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3945, 30 May 1913, Page 5

THE TAINUI DISASTER.

TEMPORARY REPAIRS AT

CORUNNA

No. 2 HOLD NOT FLOODED

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LONDON, May 28. The steamer Tainui has a hole in her 3ft by 2ft, and is being temporarily repaired at Corunna. All the meat in No. 1 hold is bad, and will probably be jettisoned. No. 2 hold was not flooded. The passengers were not informed of the seriousness of the collision until the evening. The vessel’s bows sank until walking on the deck was like climbing a hill. . , . _ Later the passengers were advised to retire. The majority did so, but were awakened at two in the morning, and lifebelts were served out. The steamer Garth Castle, with the Taimii’s passengers, twice narrowly escaped collisions with tramps while proceeding up the Channel in a fog. Captain Cruise did not leave the bridge for three days and nights.

PASSENGERS’ STORIES

HOW THEY WERE TRANSHIPPED TO THE GARTH CASTLE.

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/(Received May 29, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 29. Passengers interviewed at Plymouth stated that the Tainui ran into the fog on Saturday afternoon, and it was impossible to see even a few yards ahead. At 7 o’clock on Sunday morning tho Inca suddenly loomed through the mist, and the vessels’ bows collided as one vessel was crossing tho 'course of tho other.

Many of the Tainui’s passengers wore on deck and saw the Inca’s crew —some of them half-naked —rushing for the Loafs, before they lost sight of the vessel. Forward, the Tainui began to dip until, a few hours after, her propellers were visible out of the water. The boa Is on the promenade deck were lowered, and the ship's wireless calls reached the Garth Castle, 40 miles away, but it was 10 o’clock incite evenin'' before she rea- lied the Tainui. The fog was then still dense. A majority of the. passengers went to sleep, and some undressed. The situation, however, grew steadily worse, and they were awakened at 3* o’clock on - Monday morning, and told to don lifebelts, as they were to bo transhipped to the Garth Castle for safety. The transfer was accomplished in an hour in the Tainui’s boats. The Garth Castle’s boats formed a line and acted, as guides between the vessels, which were three-quarters of a mile apart. It is a co-incidence that boat drill was practised on the Tainni 18 hours earlier, just before the fog came down. Tlio Tainui’s passengers were accomodated in the Garth Castle’s saloon and steerage rooms, and many male passengers gave up their berths.