NOT CALLED ON

Grey River Argus, 22 June 1944, Page 4

NOT CALLED ON

TO RESCUE LAUNCH.

NAVAL STATEMENT.

CHRISTCHURCH, June 21. “In view of the continued articles in newspapers, which would seem to blame the naval authorities at Lyttelton for not taking any action to save the launch Hope, the following statement of the facts is issued,’ states a report released by the Naval Officer-in-Charge:— “The launch was first missing at 1.20 a.m. on June 6, but no report was received by the Navy Office, Lyttelton, until 4 p’.m. on June over tw.o days later—when the Air Force reported having sighted her off Timaru. The Harbourmaster at Timaru was immediately contacted by telephone, and he stated that he had the situation well in hand and that three launches were leaving shortly. He intimated that no naval assistance was required. As the only naval vessel available was 120 miles by sea to the northward, and could n.bt be expected to make better than six knots against the sea then running and in view of the Timaru Harbourmaster's confidence that he could, deal adequately with the situation, no action was taken.’’ After dealing with the earlier suggestion that the launch had foundered off Port Chalmers and the fact that the Dunedin naval authorities stated that the fishermen did not call on them for help, the report adds: It anv information that the launch mififht still be cifloat had been passed to the naval authorities at Lyttelton, definite steps would hp.ve been taken while there was still time to take measures to carry out the. search, and render assistance to the Hope. Naturally, great regret is felt by the naval authorities at the loss of two valuable lives which might have been saved had we been informed earlier.”