Rangatira Collides With Achilles

Northern Advocate, 16 April 1938, Page 6

Rangatira Collides With Achilles

f Special To “Nnrthn'i Advnc.L l WELLINGTON. This Day. Struck by the inter-island express ‘Learner Rangatira, during the height cj a north-west gale on Thursday night. H.M.S. Achilles broke her mooring and was grounded on a mudbank with a damaged propeller. The riding tide at midnight lifted the cruiser off the bank, after two tugs had made long and strenuous efforts to drag her clear,

The- gale was of considerable force, squalls blowing at the rate of nearly 70 miles per hour, when the Rangalira, leaving for Lyttelton with nearly 1000 passengers, became in difficulties immediately on leaving the wharf. She crashed into the cruiser, which was moored at Clyde Quay. Severe Squall.

After having made a day trip from Lyttelton, arriving at Wellington about 5 p.m., the Rangatira had been prepared for the return journey, leaving at 7.45 p.m. On her inward journey the Rangatira had encountered the full force of a north-west gale after passing Cape Campbell. At the time she was due to cast off again for the return journey, the Kelburn Observatory recorded a souali with a velocity of 68 miles per hour.

As the mooring lines were released from the whai'f, the Rangatira was struck by a squall and forced out of position' before the engines could be started. Clearing the Wanganslla, which was lying almost ahead at the outer tec of Queen’s Wharf, the Rangatira let down her port anchor to prevent her going too far to port. It appeared that she might continue to the southward, and strike Clyde Quay Wharf. Mooring Lines Snap. The engines were put full speed ahead, in order to give her sufficient way to take her clear, and as she came abreast of the Achilles her anchor and cable fouled the cable of the cruiser, dragging them with, great force. The cruiser’s stout mooring lines snapped like threads, and her bow was dragged away from the wharf, her port propeller striking against the concrete piles. Immediately realising what had happened and appreciating that a collision was inevitable, the master of the Rangatira, Captain B. B. Irwin, ordered the port cable to be slipped. As the stern of the Rangatira swung round there was an ominous crash of woodwork as her upper structure struck the bow of the cruiser. Achilles Goes Aground. Dragging her anchor, the Achilles swung away from the wharf as the Rangatira shot away, the latter going well clear of the outer breakwater of the boat harbour before turning outward across Oriental Bay, which was being lashed by the squall. Only minor damage was done to the Rangatira. and she proceeded to Lyttelton. In the meantime, the Achilles continued her swing and went aground on a soft mudbank. Her stern was secured to the wharf by steel hawsers, and before long two tugs had arrived. Just before midnight, with the rising tide, their efforts had succeeded in moving the cruiser, and she was soon floated clear into line with the wharf. It will probably be necessary to dock the cruiser.