LOSS OF THE ORAVIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15234, 22 February 1913, Page 2 (Supplement)

LOSS OF THE ORAVIA.

; ; FULL STORY OF THE WRECK. ' :; ' ; ;--•.:;> EXCITING RESCUES. ■ [ Full details have flow, been received of the loss of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company's steamer : Oravia off the Finland Islands, -vb>m the ship stvjck the L ; '.y Goat Hock,, half a mile '■'%& *><.*.■ [ Ai9;h;'house. Captain SprarizW, •.rri. 1 ss — '' * ! .At the Lime a great number of'pasbuyers were up waiting until the ship had anchored for the night, as it was too dark t-:> >?nt<,r Port Stanley, There was great consternation, therefore, when, instead of hearing the anchor let go, they felt the ship , strike with .great force. Many parents rushed below to fetch their children, but there was on the whole no panic. The passengers, were told to .clothe themselves warmly and put oiv .lifebelts. The weather was bitterly cold. Tha bell was rung for the stations and tfo lifeboats swung -nit. The, captain was on the I bridge. In reply .to a wireless message, the Governor of the Falkland Islands replied that the tugboat Samson and several whalers would leave.immediately for the scene. -.;.-.•*'. '■-■"•■''• ; ; : '--;., : i ■ Women and Children P'rst. "An.hour after the ship had stranded I the lights of a vessel were seen. It was a cheering eight to the 261 passengers I huddled together on clock, for they rea- | lised that the ship was in a. very precari- | ous position and might at any moment slip j off ths- rock and sink in deep water. But owir c to th'a rough sea none of the boats I could come alongside, and to make matters worse the wind increased in violence, and a thick rain set in. Four lifeboats \ were lowered and filled with women and children, win were transferred to the whalers. V Presently the -'launch Penguin managed to work alongside, and tho remainder of the women and children and some men embarked in her. The Samson next got alongside, and a high tribute is faid to Captain Thomas for handling a tugoat of such size in heavy seas. he remainder of the passengers) 200 in number, were then embarked and taken to Port Stanley.. Everything Saved. "The captain, officers, and crew remrined on the Oravia, and after the passengers had left the mails and baggage were got up on deck. All this time the ■ ship "'was grinding on the rocks, her stern being afloat. Heavy eeas caused her to strain badly, and the watertight bulkheads gave* way. Later in the day the boats brought the mails and baggage ashore, and at six p.m.. in replv to an urgent message sent by Captain Poole to the wireless station, the Samson brought off the crew, officers, and Captain Poole, who was the last to leave. • Tim passengers were surprised to find nothing was lost, even the loose clothing being bundled together and labelled with the number of the cabin it was taken from."