RANGATIRA STRIKES. SUBMERGED OBJECT
VESSEL BADLY HOLED WHEN ENTERING WELLINGTON ’ [Per Press Association. — Copyright.] WELLINGTON, February 2. In. a blinding .southerly gale this morning the Union Steam Ship Com- ■ pany’s ferry steamer Rangatira struck a submerged object off Wellington Heads and was badly holed. The 600 passengers were immediately ordered to don lifebelts and assemble on deck, which they did without panic. It -was not necessary to launch .the boats. The ship struck at 6.10 a.m. Fifteen minutes later she backed off and badly down by the bow she entered the harbour stern first under her own steam. Passengers desiring breakfast had it below. , ' ' • Evidence of Damage. After a three-hours’ journey from the heads with three tugs standing by, the Rangatira berthed at Clyde Quay Wharf. Her forefoot stirred up the mud alongside the wharf and she appeared to be aground forward. Her foredeck at the bows was little above the wharf and her cruiser stern was out of the water, so that the blades of her propellers splashed above the surface.
On board there was plain evidence of the damage. The forward part including the foreholds was flooded, but the bulkheads kept the passengers’ quarters fairly clear of water. Beyond saying that at six o’clock, when the ship struck, the weather had been very thick and squally, rendering visibility low, Captain W. D. Cameron declined to make any statement. Official Statement. The 'general manager o f the Union Company, Mr J. W. Mathewson, made the following statement later: “About 6 a.m. the Rangatira, on her way from Lyttelton to Wellington, struck some submerged object off Wellington Heads. As a precaution the passengers were ordered to put on lifebelts. It was afterwards found that this was unnecessary and they were sent down for breakfast. The vessel appears to be extensively damaged, but until docked for examination no indication can be given of the exact condition. The Maori takes over the running on Monday night.” Pumps were going all today, but in the evening the ship had not been raised appreciably. Tomorrow mornmg a diver will inspect her bows.
The accident and attendant circumstances will be the subject of a marine inquiry.
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Northern Advocate, 3 February 1936, Page 8
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361RANGATIRA STRIKES. SUBMERGED OBJECT Northern Advocate, 3 February 1936, Page 8
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