SCHOONER CAPSIZES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 245, 31 January 1921, Page 5

SCHOONER CAPSIZES.

DISASTER OFF PENCARROW

BIX MEN DROWNED

IPer Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 50. While entering Wellington Heads early this morning- the auxiliary schooner Omaka, trading between this port and Blenheim, capsized. Tito keeper at I’oncarrow Lighthouse says ho saw the vessel suddenly heel to in a fierce south-easterly squall and turn over The little vessel was laden with chilli, and‘the bales and other wreckage were soon swept overboard. Ho saw at least four men who were hanging on to the wreckage, maintain their precarious hold until, poundod by tho fierce seas dashing over them, they dropped' off one by one. The vessel was hurled on the rocks and soon went to nieces A portion of the deck cabin was carried to Potone, where it was washed ashore, and the dead body, of one of the crew was found in it. As soon as the news of tho disaster was reported, many of the vessels went to the heads and bays in the harbour to render assistance to anyone living and .search for bodies but no trace of the crew except tho body of Weeks could lie found. No hope is entertained of any of the crew being saved. THE LOST GREW.

The names of the drowned are; Captain A E Hunter Purvis, 33 years, a resident of Island Bav. Wellington, who leaves a wife and two children; John Tyrol! Weeks engineer late of Westport, but now ot Wellington, who loaves a wife and four children; William Leonard Watson actingmate. aged 27 years, residing in Wellington, unmarried; Harold Stapleton aged 22 years mother residing 111 Wellington, unmarried; J. Marlow, cook, 38 years, o Brooklyn. Wellington, who leaves a wife ami three children; Tommy the boy whoso surname is not ascertainable, late of tie Rona, whoso parents reside in the iarantfa distlTho vessel belonged to Eokford and Co., Blenheim. CREW’S STRUGGLE AGAINST ELEMENTS. Mr T B Smith, tho principal keeper f Pcnoarrow * Lighthouse, gave in simple language a. most graphic and pathetic story of the accident, and of he bravo struggle for life of a number ot men on tho illfated schooner. “Whilst extinguishing the lights at 4.45 o’clock this morning, 1 noticed the schooner Omaka making into the. harbour under a foresail and Jib Her mainsail was not set. Lighthouse. Keeper Hussey front downstairs, and when he went outside fie saw tho vessel capsize. A strong southerly gale was blowing at the time, and the vessel was running before the wind. Suddenly she broached to and a big wave struck her at the same time, and over she went. I could make out the forms of at least two sailors hanging on to the wreckage, and immediately communicated with kept my two assistants, Messrs Hussey and Cocker, on tho beach to light fires opposite these men with the double object of showing them where to land, and letting them know that assistance was available, and there was somebody to receive them it they came ashore. Thev were, however, drifting up the harbour. I could then make out three men amongst the wreckage. One was clinging to a tank, but becoming exhausted ho was swept away. I saw him throw up his arras and. disappear. It was then 10 minutes past six. the other two men were clinging to a long plank, one at C “in (ho meantime, about 5.20 o’clock, the steamer Wairau appeared entering tho harbour and passed some 300 yards away, but apparently did not see either the vvreckage or tho men struggling in the water. By this time the wreck had been blown inshore considerably, and had struck half a mile further on, where she subsequently broke up. Later tho Baden Powell came in, amt passed’the men about (it. seemed) 100 yards away, ..They again made frantic efforts to attract the attention of those on board,-but without avail. The man who was on the tank, had disappeared some t ime before bin I kept tho other two men m view all the time until they had nearly .gone-out of sipht. There was about a mile of wreckage in’ all, benzine tanks, fodder, timber, etc., drifting witii tho wind and the current, faster than one could walk. I then took my telescope and ran as hard as I could to tne point, where I saw one of the men on the plank throw up his arms and go down as the second steamer passed. LAST -SUPREME EFFORT.

“I 'distinctly saw the men make a supreme effort to draw them solves to ihc nlank and attract the attention of those on the passing steamer. 'I hey drew themselves up almost into a kneeling position on the plank, but apparently they were not seen, nor their cries hoard. Before this, when the. man on the tank passed the two men on the planic, I saw the latter wave encouragingly to apparently cheer the other. Vessels came from Wellington, but the gale was blowing so hard that their progress was retarded to such an extent’that when they reached the wreckage, it was 21 hours after the accident, and the men had disappeared. “The assistant lighthouse keeper followed up along the beach, the drift of the men on the plank and about half an hour alter he started he saw one man swept from ins hold and disappear; then following on as far as Gollan’s Bav, he saw the second man on the plank also disappear. The schooner wars com plot elj broken up and disappeared. The hull was smashed to matchwood, and only a mass of spars and debris is left. “When the man on watch came down to mo he stated that he distinctly saw one man, probably the helmsman, swept overboard as the schooner broached to, and he was clambering up iho side again when she eansi/.ed. My son also saw a man seated m the ship’s dinghy after the vessel capsized, but a big wave overwhelmed tin? dincliy. Wo all saw the men on the plank making frantic efforts to tear off their clothes, so that they could swim (roller, and a torn sweater was afterwards found on the beach, showing that they had partly succeeded.. The body of Weeks was found right inside the deckhouse, which was but a galley, when it shoaled on the Betono beach, a ropo was stretched round a part, ot tno deckhouse, and made it appear that one of the crew had endeavoured to lash himsell to it. A second body, not. yet. identified, lias been washed ashore on Botono beach. BLENHEIM, Jan. 31.

The Omaka was an auxiliary steamer her engine being a 45 h.p, ml machine. A wooden vessel she was built at Aucklanc in 1886. Her dimensions were: Length (8 feet, beam 20,6 feet, depth 6.2 feet, tons (gross) 64. She was bought by Messrs Eckford Bros, in May last and was used previously in the New Zealand coastal trade. She left on tho ill-fated trip from Blenheim at 4 o’clock on Saturday alternoon and crossed the Wairau bar at 9 pm. The cargo comprised peas and chaff. A heavy southerly gale was blowing when the Vessel left. The insurances are not available.