RESCUE JUST IN TIME

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 10 June 1933, Page 5

RESCUE JUST IN TIME

TRAWLER’S CREW PICKED UP. LIFEBOAT FILLING WITH WATER (liy Te!egraph--Presß Association.) GISBORNE, June 9. The crew of the wrecked trawler Serfib arrived at Gisborne late this evening, with the exception or Captain Flett, who went on to Auckland by the Margaret W from Oinaru Bay to-day. The mate, Mr. J. Black, stated that the vessel, left Auckland on Tuesday morning, and after operating in the Bay of Plenty the following day reached Hicks Bay on Thursday morning but had no luck with the trawl, and the ship proceeded towards Tolaga Bay. Ho was reading in his bunk at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. He heard an uncommon tremor and jumped up. Just then a. fireman, J. Elliott, rushed in and said the iship was- making watei fast.

At that time a -good southerly sea was running and the vessel was approximately four miles from land. The mate turned the trawler’s head for the land. The skipper came up and investigated and found the report to bo correct. A life-beat was hurriedly prepared and lifebuoys were put on. In half an hour the water had risen eight feet in the engine room. The vessel started to labour and it was decided to- abandon her. A big roll was on' and it was a hard job getting the lifeboat out, the keel 'being damaged in the process. The lifeboat started to leak and two men were kept constantly bailing. Within a few minutes of leaving the ship there was over seven inches of water in the boat. The sea was 111measingl.v rough and the men’s posi tion was most perilous, thougl] the nrc.w took the matter good-liumouredly. Then the mate. who was steering spied a light winch proved to bo that of the launch Huia. As the men left the lifeboat it filled with water. Mr. Samuels, chief engineer, corroborated the story as to the trawler’s mishap. On hearing the new.s, he said, he rushed to the engmeroom and put on ail the available pumps on the bilges. The dynamos were then started to see if a light could be obtained to show where the water was coniine m, and the fireman on watch was instructed to get as much steam on as possible to drive the ship towards land. In ten minutes the water was rising through into the stoke-hole. The cranks were then splashing water on to the dynamo and put it out of action, leaving the engine-room in seml- - " Wlien Mr. Samuels left the engine-room water was up to his knees and was coming in fast. . . Mr. Samuels paid another visit to the engine-room to look at the steam e. ' but the dynamo had fa. lc 1 The water was level with the dynamo head. ■ _ . ... All the crew took the affair philoo'diieally. They will leave for Auckland by service-car to-morrow morn mg.