WORST TRAGEDY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 16 July 1928, Page 5

WORST TRAGEDY

SINCE FOUNDERING OF THE RIPPLE

AUCKLAND, This Day. The loss of the Isabelle de Fraine is the worst maritime tragedy since the Ripple foundered off Cape Palliser in 1924. Strong westerly weather reaching to gales had been prevailing, making the bar and harbour navigation difficult. Hokianga is reckoned one of the worst ports as the bar is constantly slutting.

The accident occurred at 4..50 on Sat urdny afternoon.

The Isabelle de Fraine is a wooden auxiliary schooner of 110 tans, and had been trading on the coast for ten years. She was nearly sunk in the same harbour last year, when sho hit a submerged rock and had to be beached. Groups of searchers made a systematic search of the coast line, walking to within a short distance of Whangape and covering 15 miles of bleak, wild land throughout darkness, without food or shelter. They found no trace of any survivor.

Pieces of hatchway and portions of the hull were strewn over 16 miles.

By noon 400 people were scouring the shore, without further success. Captain Berridge and the mate, Teixeira, were known as experienced and cautious sailors. The former leaves a wife, one son aged 20, a daughter aged IS, and a son aged 7. Teixeira's wife and family reside at Taupaki, and include a son of 18 and two daughters aged 15 and 8 years. The Isabella de Fraine carried between 40 and 50 tons of cargo. The vessel is insured in the Hartford Insurance Company.'