Rangatira Hits Reef In Dense Fog; Towed Off Little Damaged

Northern Advocate, 30 December 1940, Page 6

Rangatira Hits Reef In Dense Fog; Towed Off Little Damaged

[Per Press Association. Copyright] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. SLIDING GENTLY ON TO THE REEF AT THE WESTERN HEAD OF PIGEON BAY, ABOUT 20 MILES FROM LYTTELTON, IN A DENSE FOG YESTERDAY MORNING, THE UNION STEAMSHIP COMPANY’S FERRY STEAMER RANGATIRA, OF 6152 TONS, UNDER THE COMMAND OF CAPTAIN G. B. MORGAN, REMAINED HARD AGROUND FOR NEARLY 10 HOURS.

Her 750 passengers were safely transferred in lifeboats to the cargo steamer Waimarino, which berthed at Lyttelton shortly after midday. "

Towed Off Reef.

The Rangatira was assisted- off the reef by the Lyttelton Harbour Board’s tug Lyttelton I and ah intercolonial steamer on the afternoon tide, and, ►steaming up the harbour at a brisk eight or 10 knots completed her interrupted journey apparently little the worse for her stranding, arriving at Lyttelton at 3.40 p.m. The mishap occurred at about 5.30 a.m. The Rangatira had been steaming slowly for some time in a thick coastal fog, with her siren sounding at intervals. Passengers Ignorant of Mishap. She struck so gently that most of those on board did not know she was aground. A few of the male passengers went on deck and saw a reef of rock a few yards away on the port bow. The passengers were told to return to their cabins and await orders. In response to wireless messages from the stranded ship the Lyttelton staff of the company made arrangements to despatch the fast coastal steamer Waimarino and an intercolonial steamer which was in port. The tug Lyttelton I was also sent out. Smooth Sea for Rescue. When the relief vessels left the wharves the fog extended the full length of Lyttelton Harbour. It began to lift as they neared the entrance to Pigeon Bay and the actual rescue work was carried out in brilliant sunshine and an almost smooth sea.

The Rangatira went aground about two hours after full tide, and when the rescue vessels arrived she was lying about 300 yards off the west headland of the bay, with her bow well out of the water / and showing most of her bow rudder. Her stern was well down in deep water and the tug had made a line fast and was pulling gently to prevent the Rangatira going further up.

Simple Transhipment. The grounded steamer had no list, which greatly simplified the transhipping of the passengers. Soon after the arrival of the Waimarino the port lifeboats, which had previously been swung out, were filled with women and children and lowered without mishap. All the passengers were wearing lifebelts and seemed in remarkably good spirits. The lifeboats of the Rangatira are of the manually operated propeller type and the women passengers were enthusiastically assisting in the operation of the hand levers. Air Force men, passengers on the steamer, lent valuable aid in loading the lifeboats.

Torn Fingernail Only Mishap. The only mishap reported was to a woman who tore a fingernail. The crowds in the lifeboats were so cheerful that they might have been going to a picnic. A companion ladder lowered on each side of the Waimarino expedited the work of taking the passengers on board. Some of the launches assisted by towing lifeboats and one large passenger launch took a full load of passengers. Breakfast Before Leaving. As soon as they boarded the Waimarino the women passengers were given facilities to wash and were served with tea. All had breakfast before leaving the ship. When the Waimarino came into the inner basin there was a large crowd to welcome the rescued passengers. Arrangements were made by the Railway Department to transport south-bound passengers to their homes. Those who were travelling to points south of Timaru were conveyed in three railway buses, which left Christchurch in the middle of the afternoon. Temporary Replacement. Passengers for south stations as far as Timaru were carried on the usual Sunday excursion train which leaves Christchurch at 5.25 p.m. These passengers were obliged to leave without their luggage, which was despatched on a later train. Mails from the north carried on the Rangatira were brought to the city on the 6.25 p.m. train from Lyttelton. The steamer Wahine arrived at Wei- - lfngton this morning in place of the Rangatira, and later left for Lyttelton. The Maori will be recommissioned and will take the place of the Rangatira in the meantime.

The Rangatira sailed from Lyttelton at 9.30 a.m. today for Port Chalmers, where she will be docked.