NIGHT OF TERROR

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 210, 18 August 1933, Page 7

NIGHT OF TERROR

DRAMATIC RESCUE AT SEA TWO MEN IN A BOAT. RISKING THE LAST MATCH. MELBOURNE, Aug. 10. The fate of William Rockett, aged 30, farmer, of Apollo Bay, on the coast of Victoria, and H. Hansen, a fisherman, who were rescued 'by the liner Narkunda on Sunday night 22 miles east of Cape Otway, after they had drifted helplessly in heavy seas in a 24ft launch in Bass Strait, depended on ono match and a few drops of petrol. Three ships had passed the boat without having seen their signals, and when they saw the lights of the Narkunda eight miles away, about midnight, they risked their last match in the hope of attracting attention. They rubbed a piece of rag in the last drop of petrol, Jit it with the match, and waved the little flare with desperate hope. The look-out on the Narkunda, who had been told of the missinglaunch, caught sight of the signal, and the liner immediately altered its course. USE OF SEARCHLIGHTS. As it was impossible to light more flares it was difficult for the officers of the Narkunda to find the tiny launch, but the ship’s searchlights were brought into play, and with the aid of these the little boat was picked up again. A heavy sea was running at the time, and it was only with the utmost difficulty that the Narkunda launched a boat and went to the rescue of Rockett and Hansen, who were exhausted through lack of water and as a result of the exposure to which they had been subjected. So rough was the sea that the captain of the Narkunda expressed surprise that any small boat could have kept afloat for so long. Had the Narkunda not been equipped with searchlights it is doubtful whether the small boat would have been found Messrs Rockett and Hansen’ were taking the launch across the bay when heavy weather was encountered. A big wave cast overboard a piece of rope which fouled the propeller, and from that time the vessel was tossed helplessly in rough water. The occupants had only dry bread to eat, and there was no water for them to drink. All day Sunday they drifted, each hour seeing them further away from the land, and when night came they had almost given up hope of rescue. VERY ANXIOUS MOMENTS. The night was bitterly cold, and as the men drifted three vessels passed fairly close to them. Their frantic shouting and waving of garments was of no avail, probably owing to the state of the weather. Even when they burned petrol-soaked paper their signals were not seen. Only those who have been in similar circumstances could realise the anxiety of these two men as they watched the Narkunda after their last flare was spent. As Mr Hansen said subsequently, it seemed hours before the course’of the liner was altered, and then they realised that their signal had been seen. Their joy knew no bounds when the liner stopped and the great searchlights began to sweep the sea. Then came the launching of a boat manned by Lascars and finally the rescue and the return to the ship. There the men were made comfortable and the glad tidings were flashed by wireless to their distressed wives and children. So ended another drama of the sea.