NAPIER TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 51, 27 January 1933, Page 3

NAPIER TRAGEDY.

MARINE INQUIRY. Per Press Association _ NAPIER, Jan. 26. The marine inquiry into the disaster at the inner entrance of the Napier Harbour on December 28, when the launch Doris containing 31 watersiders, collided with the Richardson Companv’s Tu Atu, and sank with the loss or ten lives, was opened to-day before Mr A. M. Mowlem, S.M. With him were associated, as marine assessors, Captain J. W. Holmes and Captain L. C. H.- Warrail. The inquest into the deaths of ten men was held in conjunction with the inquiry. Captain William Martin, master of the Tu Atu, said that when proceeding down the west side of the channel he saw a white light from the launch Doris. Keeping it in view for some time without noticing any variation in its colour, witness suddenly saw the light flash across his bow, and a second or two later the launch was struck. Eric Mentzer, who was in charge of the Doris on the night of the tragedy. said that on seeing the lights in the channel he thought them at first to be those of some vessel stuck on its bottom in tire channel. As he approached the lights of the Tu Atu swung more over to his starboard bow. The Tu Atu was on the west side of the channel, and witness considered lie could not have passed on the west side of the other vessel as lie might have run on the rocks. He saw the red light of the Tu Atu a moment before the collision.