DAMAGES AWARDED.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 14 June 1928, Page 5

DAMAGES AWARDED.

AGAINST NAVAIL SUPPLY SHIP. SAILING RULES BROKEN. .United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) LONDON, June 13. Air Justice Bateson of the Admiralty Court awarded damages to the owners of the Greek ship Fafalios against the naval supply ship Bacchus, which rammed and sank tne former vessel off the coast of Dorset. The Judge declared that the case for the Bacchus was hopelessly bad. Every conceivable .rule appeared to have been broken. She was travelling over-fast in a fog and did not stop on hearing whistles ahead, nor did she attempt to reduce speed. He could not accept the defence that the Greek fillip was navigated badly. On May 4 the naval supply ship Bacchus, 2000 tons, sent out a SOS stating that she was badly damaged and sinking, after ramming and sinking the Greek steamer Leannis Fafalios, 3122 tons, off Dorset. The Bacchus rescued the Greek crew and then both crews abandoned the Bacchus JO miles -from Portland; They later returned to the vessel which ultimately arrived at Portland towed stern first iby the battleship Tiger and some tugs. Apparently the Greek steamer sank in three minutes. Ten Greeks, were drowned, including the captain and chief officer. Two. others { died after rescue at sea. The owners say that 22 were aboard the vessel. Among the drowned were five brothers and two nephews of the owner of the Fafalios. Describing the collision, otic of the sailors on the Bacchus said : “The fog in the Channel was like pea soup. Before we knew it, we had rammed the Fafalios amidships. -She was loaded with iron ore and .sank in less than two minutes. The crew on her deck were flung into the water, but the remainder who were below had no chance. The captain and mate died from injuries due to the collision.” Ait the inquest on some of the victims the second mate of the .Loiannis Fafalios said there was a. thick iog and a number of whistles were heard round about. ’ The engines were stopped five minutes before the collision. The vessel kept its; course and. exchanged ibil-aist'S. They had not seen any vessel until they .saw the Bacchus a few yards away. The captain of the Bacchus said the vessel was doing five knots and changed her course three times on hearing blasts, now on this side and now on that. When the Greek steamer loomed up in the fog lie reversed the engines. ‘but the other crossed him at excessive speed. He tried to avoid her. but failed. He. stopped the engines, hoping to Jock the vessels together, but the other’s speed pulled her out. and she Bank. A verdict of accidental death was returned.