FREIGHTER KONINI ASHORE.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 2564, 23 December 1924, Page 4

FREIGHTER KONINI ASHORE.

RUNS AGROUND OUTSIDE BLUFF HARBOUR

Vessel a Total Wreck

ILL-FATED MAIDEN VOGAGE

CAPTAIN AND CREW SAIT

[Per Press Association.]

INVERCARGILL, Last Night.

At about 1.30 o’clock this morning, in heavy rain and in pitch darkness the s.s. Konini (Union Steamship Co.) went ashore at Whale Head, or SouthWest Point, on the coast at the back of Bluff Hill, about a mile from Ocean Beach.

The vessel was making about nine knots at the time of the disaster and struck heavily on a ledge of rocks, about two chains out from the rugged coastline. There was fortunately no wind, though a heavy swell was run. ning and the darkness was intense, and the situation was sufficiently precarious. Four rockets were fired and the ship’s whistle blown steadily. The dis. tress signals were heard and the Bar. hour Board’s tug was immediately despatched from Bluff. She arrived off the scene of the wreck at about 4.20 a.m. and stand, ing out about one hundred yards, took off the crew, who left the Konini in the ship’s boats. There was no loss of life and no casualties of any kind, the men being able to take most o! their personal effects with them. A Complete Wreck. Subsequently, the vessel had settled down, her engine rooms being full of water, with fairly deep water along one side. She is a complete wreck and there is little prospect of her cargo being salvaged, though an attempt will probably be made to salvage a lot of her gear. The first southerly weather that ar. rives, in all probability will break hot up. 111-starred Skipper. The Konini is a new vessel of 1,421 tons gross and 832 tons nett register, She was on her maiden voyage, hei last port being Wallaroo, South Australia where she loaded about 2,001 tons of salt, and gypsum for Dunedin and northern New Zealand ports. The master is Captain Vint, who it familiar with the coast and for years has had his Bluff pilotage exemption certificate as a careful and competent mariner. The loss of the Kcnini is particularly unfortunate, Inasmuch as it follows the mishap to the Armagh, which was piled up on a sand bank at Liver, pool while in charge of a pilot. Captain Vint was thc-A master d the Armagh, though the responsibility for that disaster was not his. Hi then took command of the Konini. bul once again misfortune has overtake! him. All Crew Accounted For. The remaining members of ths ship’s company, twenty-three all told, are:—E. M. Anderson (chief officer), H. A. Boyd (second officer), L. T. Wells (third officer), R. H. Praetor (chief engineer), H. Miller (second engineer), John Lewis (third engineer). J. Ingles (boatswain), All.ui Robinson (donkeyman), C. Carnie, J. Moncriefe, J. A. Finch, L. W. Poole, A. Gourley, J. Irvine (able seamen): M. Carlin, Joe Dickson. J. Carlin. R. Pernio, F. Beattie, R. Graham (firemen), J. Lockhead (chief steward) and James Hunter (second steward). The officers and crew were conveyed to port are at present awaiting instructions. A Preliminary Inquiry. A preliminary inquiry was held today before Mr H. W. Rutxcll, Customs officers, at Invercargill. Apparently there is little explanation to ba given, apart from the fact that the vessel got off her course in the blackness of the night, the rain contributing to the low visibility. The Dog Island light was picked up soon after the vessel passed Centre Island. The distance between the two points is approximately 25 miles. The Konini was standing well out, her course being set to carry her, it was thought, round behind Dog Island, which is the usual course followed by steamers, making round the coast for Dunedin, Shortly after passing Centre Island, however, Captain Vint, who had been on the bridge since 6 a.m., lost the Dog Island light in the rainstorm, which so intensified the murk that nothing at all could be seen ahead. Bluff Rises Out of Darkness. This was not considered an alarming circumstance, as their course should have enabled them easily to clear the dangerous rocks behind the hill. Dog Island light was not picked up again and the first realisation of their peril came when the hill suddenly loomed out of the darkness right ahead. It was then Impossible to avoid the disaster. The vessel struck head on and immediately swung round, losing her rudder in doing so. When she settled, her bows pointed out to sea, ns though she had endeavoured to make seaward and had been'struck in the stern. She lifted and crunched on to the rocks many times, until her plates were badly gashed and she was making water rapidly. She bagan to settle At mid-day she lay upright and fairly high out of the water, being clearly <n view from the sandhills at Ocean Beach. No Chance of Salvaging Cargo. To-morrow morning, it is anticipated. the party will leave Bluff by boat and make an investigation, provided the sea remains calm enough for an approach to be made. It is not considered that there will be any possib - Hty of salvaging the cargo, but it is thought that the fittings and gear will be recovered.The steamer is not fully loaded ana of course, is liable to get a battering at any time from the heavy southwesterly seas that roll through th« Straits.