HOW RESCUE WAS EFFECTED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 12 January 1944, Page 4

HOW RESCUE WAS EFFECTED

“REMARKABLE STRENGTH OF VOICE” The Matangi was approximately twe miles south of Terawhiti, \v4>en th'e captain and the third mate, who were on the bridge together heard a shout. At first it was thought that the call had come from someone on deck, but when it was repeated a second time, it was realised that it was from a person in the water. From the ship the man was sighted clinging to a submerged dinghy. The Matangi was manoeuvred as close alongside as possible, a buoy with a Holmes light which ignites on striking the water, being flung overboard to mark the position of the boat. When the dinghy was close enough, the Chief Officer and the Bo’sun of ffie Matangi climbed down on to the belting of the ship and carried out the difficult task of hauling the man aboard. Clinging to a rope from the ship’s side and standing on the narrow belting in water often swirling up to their waists, they managed to secure a rope around the exhausted survivor who was then pulled up on deck. After his ordeal of nearly seven and a-half hours in the water Taylor was exhausted and suffering from the cold. He was taken to the galley where he Jay on a mattress in the warmth while his legs and body were massaged to revive him. He was given whisky, steaming hot coffee and sandwiches before being put to bed. Half an hour after the call for help was first heard the Matangi was again under way. Captain W. Wildman. skipper of the Matangi, this morning commented on the remarkable strength of voice shown by Taylor to be able to make himself heard in such an exhausted condition. He had, evidently, been conserving his strength for such an effort. The third mate said that although the weather was fairly calm with a considerable swell at the time Taylor was picked up, there had been a strong southerly up to 35 miles an hour in the Strai-t for two days. Captain Wildman said that the only previous rescue attempt he had experienced on the Nelson run had been an unsuccessful attempt by the Arahura to pick up survivors from a launch which foundered off Sinclair Head, near Wellington, some yeans a^»o.