SCHOONER OVERTURNED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18520, 3 October 1923, Page 9

SCHOONER OVERTURNED

LOSS NEAR FREMANTLE,

FOUR OF THE CREW DROWNED

PERTH, Bept.24.

The schooner Seaflower (65 tons) was lost with four of the crew in a' storm nine miles north/ of Moore • River, and 60 miles north of Fremantle. •' -The sole survivor, Mr. G. R.' Cornish, clung to the wreck,'age/;/ and ;was washed ashore four miles distant, after/being in the water; for four hours. ; Ho watched in, vain for several hours for signs .'.' of Captain Hansen and Messrs. i Oscar and Albert; Anderson, / and the cook, James Gray, and then walked barefooted' ten miles through the bush before he came on a farm house, where he was given attention. ' v , The vessel, which was owned by the North-west- Coastal Company, was carrying a cargo of whale oil avid guano from Point Cldates to Fremantle.

Cornish stated ■ that the schooner had a terrible time since Sunday, and as overturned by 'a wave 60ft. high. About 4 o'clock on .Wednesday morning, the Seaflower was about ten miles off/the coast, but the wind drove the ship toward ; the reef parallel to the shore; The ground swell rose to a tremendous height, and a wall of water came/up,* hitting; the boat square on, turning her over. .//When -he came to the surface he saw Oscar Anderson swimming toward /a spar. ■■■■ v- Cornish was then overwhelmed by a wave, and when he/came to the surface ho saw no sign of Anderson. Cornish floated ashore on a piece of timber.