GREYCLIFFE TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1927, Page 2

GREYCLIFFE TRAGEDY

MORE WRECKAGE RAISED. [ Australian A- N.Z. Cable Association.] SYDNEY, Nov. 21. At the Greycliil'e inquiry, further lengthy evidence and cross-examination of witnesses ocupied the day, chiefly with reference to the colliding of the vessels, but tbe evidence added little to that already tendered. One witness declared that the Tahiti sou tided her whistle twenty seconds before she struck the Greycliil'e. Another estimated that the Tahiti was travelling at two miles per hour faster than the Greycliil'e; that the hitter changed her course a minute before the collision, and that just before this he heard the Tahiti sound two short hi asts.

Captain Carson, who was piloting the Tahiti at the time of the collision, gave evidence that he saw the Grevctiffe ahead of him. going to Garden Island. Then he had her in sight all the time. Leaving Garden Island wharf she was two ship’s lengths from the Tahiti. The Greyeliffe headed for Shark Island and he steadied the Tahiti for north and oft' Shark Island. After passing Garden Island, lie overtook the Greyeliffe rather rapidly. He was travelling from six to seven knots. The overtaking process ceased just afterwards. The Greyeliffe was then four points on his how and a ship’s length from the bridge of the Taint' When abreast of Clark Island, the Greyeliffe altered her course very rapidly towards him, closing in very quickly. He ordered the helm ostnrbonrd and stopped both engines. Then immediately ordered the port engine full speed astern and sounded two blasts of the whistle. All these orders were given practically simultaneously. He thought the ships were going to clear, but the Greyeliffe appeared to cross at an even more acute angle than she had been doing. r l he angle of the collision appeared to he between fortyfive and seventy-five degrees. Witness estimated the speed at the time of the collision at eight knots, but the engines going astern took some of the way off. From the time the Greyeliffe altered her course, to the time of the collision, was half to three-quarters of a minute. Up to the time the Greyeliffe altered her course, witness was not conscious of any risk or danger. He followed the course as far as possible in accordance with sailing directions.

Asked if. as he was overhauling the Greyeliffe, he saw no reason to slacken speed. Carson said lie ■ saw no such reason.

The case for the Navigation Department then closed.

The remaining portion of the Greycliffe was raised to-dav and beached. No more bodies came to light when the wreckage was lifted from the harbour bottom. Yesterday’s reference to the dead totalling 45, includes the missing.