STEAMER WAHINE CRASHES INTO PIPITEA WHARF

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 146, 5 June 1936, Page 5

STEAMER WAHINE CRASHES INTO PIPITEA WHARF

Bows Shattered CALAMITY IN FOG Vessel Shudders Under Grinding Impact HELD FAST ON PIER By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 5. Torn and splintered piles and powdered concrete testified to the terrific impact that occurred when the Wahine, groping her way in a dense fog, struck the Pipitea wharf shortly before 7 o’clock today. The main reinforced concrete of the wharf withstood the collision, but the steel plates of the under part of the vessel’s bow were riven sheer, leaving the Wahine’s nose on the wharf for a distance of 20 feet.

When it was seen that a crash was imminent, both rudders were brought into commission, but it was too late to avert a calamity. The 4436 tons steamer was halted with a. protracted grinding impact and shuddered for fully thirty seconds.

There was a dense fog in the harbour when the Wahine came in. This places two of the most modern ships in the ferry service, the Rnngatira, which «abadly damaged on February 2, and tire Wahine both out of commission. 'ilia Union Company is meeting the exigency by placing in the service at a moment’s notice the Pacific mail steamer Marama, whoch has been laid up at Wellington for a considerable time. The Marama takes over the Vahine's ri ning to-night, leaving at 10 p.m., aim will continue the service till further notice.

The Pipitea wharf is a modern ferroconcrete structure. The Will ::ie pone, trated it to some depth and was Fcrsclf damaged.

The overseas vessel Canadian Constructor was berthed at the same w’-r-f about a hundred yards away, tail t was fortunate that a more grave mishap did not occur.

NO HINT OF PANIC'.

At the first startling jolt passengers were tossed in their cabins. Mauy ran to the deck in dressing gowns. Some who had been sleeping did not know whether or not the vessel was still at sea, but there was not a hint of panic and everything was done to assist tho ship’s officers. Two tugs, the Terawhiti and the Toia, tho first pushing and the second pulling from the stern, strained for about four hours, but succeeded in moving the vessel only a foot. Oxyacetylene lamps were finally employed to cut away further portions of the plates apd tho steamer was freed late in the morning and berthed at Fryatt Quay. When the Wahine was steaming up the harbour a dense white fog was penetrable for only a.few yards. An early worker walking along T’ipitea wharf saw the murky how of the vessel dragging a tunnel through wisps of mist. He expected a late turn, but the steamer continued on her course and struck, despite the hurried use of the bow rudder. The passengers were landed soon after tho mishap by a gungwav from the bows. TORN AND CRUMPLED. Massive concrete pillars ground through the plates of the Wahine like cardboard. Wooden piles were snapped and splintered and reduced to matchwood. An iron stanchion was flattened on one side and blocks of shattered concrete were flung to either side. The steamer, its under structure ■ torn and crumpled for twenty feet, came to rest only about fifteen feet from the wharf building. As soon as tire vessel struck, nn urgent call was sent for tho tug Terawhiti, which was promptly on tho scene. Passengers dressed hurriedly and were able to land by a gangway from the extreme end of the steamer. Small luggage was passed down on the other side of the ship by ropes. News of the accident travelled quickly, but Harbour Board officials, anticipating crowds of sight-seers, barricaded all entrances to tho wharf and frequently questioned those who had already been admitted. Several hundred persons gathered at the far end were able to get a distant view, but it was only with an excuse of urgent or official business that one was allowed to pass.

TUGS REQUISITIONED

When the Wahine collided with the wharf the tide was low. The steel water-tight compartment which had been holed prevented the steamer from making water, but the tugs had to work fast to release her, as tho rising tide was throwing further weight on the weakened bow.

The Terawhiti was almost powerless to assist, to such an extent was the vessel embedded, but tho Toia was sent for and added her power. The Terawhiti nosed into the starboard side of thq steamer ami the Toia steamed full ahead from the stern, but no impression was made on the Wahine. The Toia reversed, tugged and tried to seesaw tho bow free from the imprisoning concrete, and after fully two hour* of combined effort the Wahine grated forward a foot and there she stayed, and tho fresh of the tide promised to

add another difficulty. She was, how, ever, released just before uoou. , The Wahine will not bo docked immediately, as the dock is occupied and will remain occupied tor about another week by the Kalingo, which was damaged at Greymouth on May 24. Tho Wahine is not making water and as far as is known is not damaged below tho waterline. PASSENGER’S STORY, "I was standing by the railing on deck and saw that the ship could njt possibly avoid spiking the wharf," said a pas.:«neger. Asked how far he thought tho Wahine was away from tho wharf when he first saw it, the passenger said he was able to see tho wharf when the ship was what bo would judge to be about three parts of her length to a full length away. The force of the impact was not felt to any marked extent on board; ct least he felt no great shock from from his position on the deck, although he was told by a fellow-passenger who happened to be in a cabin at the time attending to his luggage that he felt a bump and was thrown, across his bags. There was no alarm among the pas' sengers. Quite a number were already on deck when the ship crashed into tho wharf, but there were others who did not know what had happened until they camo on deck.