COLLISION AT SEA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 10 April 1924, Page 5

COLLISION AT SEA

FOUNDERING OF THE WYRALLAH

“WENT DOWN LIKE A STONE’’

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) and N.Z. Cable Association.)

MELBOURNE, April 9. The Wyrallah, 302 tons, ran between Melbourne and Gippsland Lakes. The Dilkera, 2667 tons, was en route to Fremantle from Newcastle. The vessels were in the rip when they collided. Men on the Dilkera shouted to the crew of the Wyrallah to jump, and five of the CTew, with one passenger, obeyed and were saved. Six others hesitated for a moment and were lost, as the ship went down like a stone. The names of the drowned are—M. Bowery, H. Johnson, J. McLaren J. G. Wrighton and Montgomery, all of Melbourne, and G. R. Ward, of Coburg. Montgomery was a passenger. All the missing members of the Wyrallah’s crew were employed in the engine room. This suggests that they were tiapped by the rapid sinking of the vessel. The Dilkera had a hole a foot square knocked in her bow just above the water line. As the Wyrallah lies m the fairway she is a menace to deep laden ships and orders have been given to- close the port against both outgoing and incoming vessols. In consequence of the heavy tide run it is expected the Wyrallah will rapidly break up. inm , . The collision occurred at IU.oU, but it was considerably later before news of (hr disaster was known. Several vessels received the S.OS. and made for the scene but arrived too late owing to the suddenness of the Wyrallah’s sinking. The night was dark and the weather thick, with a- drenching rain. Mr Roberts, the Wyrallah s passenger, who was saved, says he was awakened bv the crash of the collision and rushed on deck. He heard a voice, from the Dilkera shouting Tor Christ s sake lump.” He jumped just as the Wyrallah heeled and sank. Some members of the crew were asleep in the forecasle and narrowly escaped being crushed to death when the Dilkera s nose crashed through the side . Montgomery was proceeding to Wilson’s Promontory to join the lighthouse SC The Dilkera was docked, but the damage is slight.