ACCIDENT TO LINER

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 26 January 1927, Page 5

ACCIDENT TO LINER

SUBMERGED OBJECT STRUCK.

NORTHUMBERLAND LEAKING. VESSEL REACHES GISBORNE, fur TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) GISBORNE, Jan. 25. About 1.30 p.m. to-day, when the Federal liner Northumberland was steaming at .13 knots on the usual course from Auckland to Napier, between Tuahine Point Qnd Gable End foreland, she felt a heavy shock aLd temporarily stopped. An investigation showed that the ship had struck a, submerged object abaft the forecastle. The ship was fast making water in No. 2 hold, so a course was set for Gisborne at full speed ahead. On avr rival the vessel was met by Captain Holmes in the Harbour Board launch, and taken to a spot two miles off the Waikanae beach, the intention being that if the ship should show signs of sinking to beach her. As the ship was coming in strenuous efforts were made to place a mattress over where it was assumed ■ the hole was situated. On anchoring at about 4.30 p.m. the ship showed a heavy list on the port side, forward. Another effort was made to place a mattress over the side, and the work was successful. Owing to the fact that the hole could not be definitely located, however, this work proved of no use, and the ship still continued to settle down forward. About 5.30 it was found j that the vessel was holding her own, there being at that time 36ft of water in No. 2 hold, about 20ft in No. 1 hold, and loft in No. 3 hold.

The harbour board launch came in for .more gear and a pump, and took out men to shift the cargo in Nos. 1 and 3 holds, with the intention of removing the cargo from the port side and bringing the ship on to a flat keel. It was not till nearly eight o ’clock that the U.S.S. Co. ’s tender returned to the Northumberland with the pumps and gear.-, Meantime a large gang of watersiders came out in the harbour board launch and unloading work was commenced. At six o’clock a diver made a lengthy examination of the hull on the starboard side and, on crossing under the ship located a hole 12ft to 15ft long and nearly 2ft wide on the bilge near No. 2 hold. The hole was entirely uncovered, the mattress being some distance away. Efforts were then devoted to making a collision mat of tarpaulins and bedding mattresses, and-at eleven o’clock to-night this work was still proceeding. Towards midnight it was only the bulkheads keeping the ship afloat. Cargo from the Nos. 1 and 2 holds was being discharged into three lighters, and in addition the tug Karoro, the U.S.S Co.’s ferry Tuatea, and the harbour board’s launch were standing by. The Northumberland arrived at Auckland on January 13 from Liverpool, with general cargo for main ports, and left Auckland at 4 p.m. yesterday. She has still 4000 tons of cargo fo.c Napier, Wellington, Lyttelton i-nd Dunedin. NAPIER, Jan. 25. The Northumberland has 1300 tons of cargo for Napier, most of which is stowed in No. 3 hold. To-night the Richardson Co.’s Koau took an 8-inch centrifugal pump secured from the Public Works Department,- to Gisborne, and it is hoped it will enable the Northumberland to cope with the water until the arrival of the two tugs. SALVAGE! PLANS. GISBORNE, Jan.- 26. Salvage plans on the Northumberland ■include the reduction of water ,in the affected holds by extensive pumping operations, the shore! ng up of the damaged plates from the interior of the hull, and eventually concreting over the hole to .stiffen the plates and to allow tlie vessel to proceed to dry dock. The weather is- most favourable. The salvage tugs from Wellington arrive late to-night. In the meantime the auxilary pumps have been erected and the ship’s full pumping power is being exerted to keep the water down.