STEAMERS WRECKED OFF AUSTRALIAN COAST

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3394, 9 July 1926, Page 9

STEAMERS WRECKED OFF AUSTRALIAN COAST

BURWAH STANDING BY. (.By Electric Cable—Copyright,] [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.] BRISBANE, July S. A message has been received at Rockhampton that the steamer Burvvah is standing by the Cooma, which ran on the North Reel', off Townsville, Queensland, last night, but owing to the heavy swell the Cooma’s passengers could not be transferred to the Burwah. Most of the passengers ,arc tourists from Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane going north for the . The Cooma is still bumping badly, but making little water. The Cooma, 3839 tons, belongs to the Howard, Smith Company. She was built in 1907. The Burwah, of the same line, is 2317 tons TUGELA ON PAPUAN REEF. BRISBANE, July 9. lA radio message has been received stating that the steamer Tugela, which left Auckland on 11th Ma> for European ports, via Papua, is stranded on Helen Reef, off ihe northern extremity of Papua. The weather is fine and the vessel not in danger. The Tugela, 5559 tons, belongs to the Norwegian Africa-Australia Line. PASSENGERS AND CREW SAFELY REMOVED. COOMA PROBABLY TOTAL WRECK. (Received Thursday, 5.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, July S. Although a heavy swell was running, the passengers of the Cooma wore safely transferred to the Burwah, and will bo landed at Port Alma this afternoon. The BUrwah reached the Cooma before midnight, and as there was no immediate danger, it was decided, in view of the heavy swell ,not to at. tempt the transfer until to-day. At early dawn a start was made, and the passengers safely removed. H.M.S. Moresby arrived on the scene after the Burwah left, and also stood by in order to transfer the crew if necessary. As the Cooma was bumping heavily in the late afternoon, the crew were taken aboard the Moresby. It is now feared that the Cooma will become a total wreck. Efforts are being made by shifting the cargo from (ho bow to the stern of the Tir’ehi to get the vessel off the reef. Apparently she is not seriously damaged.