SHIP TURNS TURTLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19558, 10 February 1927, Page 9

SHIP TURNS TURTLE.

AUSTRALIAN DISASTER.

FIVE OF CREW MISSING.

SURVIVOR'S THRILLING STORY.

TWO BODIES PICKED UP. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright, (Received Feb. 9, 11.50 p.m.) A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Feb. 9. The steamer Galr.va, of 413 ions gross register, foundered off Terrigal, about midway between Sydney and Newcastle, early this morning. Three survivors, including tho master, managed to reach the shore shortly before noon, after having spent nine hours in the water. Captain Pearson, the master of the illfated vessel, said she had loaded a full cargo of coal at Catherine Hill Bay for Sydney., He was asleep in his cabin when the mate rushed in and awakened him with the news that the ship had suddenly developed a heavy list, and was in danger of turning over. Captain Pearson says he rushed on deck and sounded a siren to awake the members of tho crew who were sleeping below. He threw down lifebelts to them as they emerged from the forecastle. ,

It was then pitch dark. Only a minute or two had elapsed when the Galava turned turtle and disappeared The master said ho thought all the men aboard had lifebelts. Some also had planks or pieces of hatches.

It was useless to strike out in tho dark so he waited until daylight. Then he found the crew had been separated. He could see no one, so he set out for the beach, three miles distant.

Shortly after he had landed he was met by two others of the crew. Captain Pearson said he could give no explanation as to the cause of the disaster. The sea was only moderate. The tug St. Olaves was immediately despatched from Sydney to the scene of the disaster in order to search for survivors. The police at Terrigal are also conducting a search in a launch. ,

The collier Duckenfield, on her arrival at Sydney from Newcastle, reported having sighted two bodies, one of which had a lifebelt around it.

News was received this evening that the tug had picked up two of the Galava's engineers in the breakers 'near the rocks at Terrigal. One was holding to a grating and the other was clinging desperately to a lifebuoy. Realising that the latter was in an exhausted condition a fireman on the tug pluckily dived to his assistance. The bodies of Charles Lancaster, the mate, and Louis Wilson, a seaman, were brought ashore at Terrigal. Five men are still missing. They are: James Christie, cook; Peter Stagnola, fireman; A. Brown, J. Hansen and Benjamin Gilt, seamen.