SWIFT DISASTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19999, 16 July 1928, Page 11

SWIFT DISASTER.

CRAFT SUDDENLY CAPSIZES

SINKS IN TWENTY MINUTES. SOON DASHED TO PIECES. CREW DRAWN BELOW WAVES. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] KOHUKOHU, Sunday. The schooner Isabella dc Fraino was dashed to pieces on tho treacherous bar at the mouth of the llokianga Harbour late on Saturday afternoon, all the eight members of tho crew perishing in the breakers that crashed with the roar of thunder upon her upturned keel. In tho moderate south-west breeze that was blowing the Isabella do Lraine, responding to the semaphore messages hoisted on the signal station, swung from her course outside the bar and came dipping through the main channel. Alone in tho forcrigging her tried master, Captain Berridge, watched the dangerous channel mouth, while tho sailor at the helm answered his commands. Cutting through rough seas the schooner was within the channel, when suddenly she made for the bar. The wind caught her canvas, and with a high screech, the huge booms swung across tho spraywashed deck. Strained by tho quick jar. tho Isabella do Fraine listed on her side. Following tho winds came heavy swells, catching tho vessel as she lay momentarily on her side. In a flash she had turned completely over, her bottom facing skyward. Crew of the Schooner. Thrown from the. rigging, the captain was caught with his fellow seamen and sucked beneath as the Isabella de Fraine lurched and turned turtle. Trapped like rats in a hole the eight gallant men met their death while great green waves battered on the hull of their vessel. The crew comprised the following: — Captain A. Berridgo, aged 47, married. Mr. D. Teixiera, mate, aged 53, married. Mr. A. Kendrick, engineer," aged 32, married. Mr. H. Trevarthen, assistant engineer, aged 22, single. Mr. E. Merrltt, cook, single. Mr. F. Liewendahl, able seaman, single. Mr. A. Suvanto, able seaman, single. Mr. M. Kennedy, ordinary seaman, single.

For 20 minutes the helpless vessel drifted near the deadly bar, her hull showing black against tho green and foam of tho seas washing over her. Deck cargo and odd timber bobbed about tho wreck Gulls sweeping low and screaming as they circled nbovo the flotsam were tho only living things within a mile of the doomed craft. Struck by Heavy Swell. Nearer tho shallow water tho schooner was drawn until her dragging masts scraped tho floor of tho sea. Halted in her drifting course the hull of tho Isabella de Fraino shuddered as a heavy sea swept down on tho stern and a swell hit her broadsido on. Like a ghost from tho depths sho reappeared, her white sails flapping weakly about the mastheads, tho torn ropes swinging in the wind. Iler bare decks were stripped of all equipment, and cargo was wet with tho Sea. In tho fading light of tho sotting sun tho craft's battered, form was silhouetted sharply against tho skyline. For a minute tho derelict rocked on the swells. Then sho staggered, turned slowly over again and vanished beneath tho surface. It is believed the hull of tho schodner is being held below tho surface by the I anchors, which wore thrown off tho deck | when the Isabella do Fraino capsized. It j itj thought tho anchors arc caught fast in the rocks.