THRILLING RESCUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20080, 18 October 1928, Page 16

THRILLING RESCUE.

SAILORS WASHED OVERBOARD.

LUCKY ESCAPE FROM DEATH.

SAVED BY EXPERT SEAMANSHIP

INCIDENT OF TASMAN STORM

[FROM OUR OWN COllfl ESPON DENT. ] SYDNEY. Oct. 11.

Tho story of the rescue of two sailors who were washed overboard from the auxiliary schooner Piri, while en route from oreymouth to Sydney, was one of tho most thrilling of its nature evei told. The two men, John William Laing and William Graham West, were snatched from what seemed to be certain death, and' nom! realises it better than they do themselves.

Laing said on arrival: "We just clung together and waited for tho end. It was after they had abandoned all hope, and when they were being attacked by flocks of screaming mollyhawks, tliat the expert seamanship of Captain ' W. C. 11. Watt asserted itself and they were pulled on board Theirs was," indeed, a remarkable escape from death.

The Piri is only a tiny vessel of 259 tons gross, and the men 'vvlio are prepared to brave tlirs elements in tho Tasman Sea in such a ship aro heroes enough. Laden with timber for Sydney and Melbourne, the Piri left Grcyrnouth on September 23, and immediately ran into a succession of westerly gales. Huge waves swept the ship from stem to stein, and every movable object on the vessel had to bo lashed down. Two flays after leaving port tho Pin encountered the worst weather experienced on the voyage. Bleak winds and tremendous seas continued throughout the day. About 4 p.m., when tho watches were being changed, Laing and West were standing on the deck clinging to tho rail near the stern, waiting to be relieved Tho relief had just arrived, and the exchange of duties was about to be performed, when a huge wave dashed over the sliip. Swept Into the Raging Sea. Despite their frantic efforts to retain a hold on the rail, the two men were swept before tho high wave and carried over tho stern into the sea. Immediately the cry of "man overboard" was raised. The mate grasped two lifebuoys and threw them toward the struggling men. For some time Laing and West disappeared from the sight of the men on the deck. Suddenly they reappeared on the crest of a wave, and it was then seen that they had been able to secure one of tho buoys By the time the Piri had turned back, the men, who even then had ceased to struggle because of tho apparent hopelessness of their position, were about half a mile astern. The mate climhed the rigging, and from tho top of the mast was able to direct tho navigation of the boat. As the Piri bore down on Laing and his companion, preparations were made to drag the men on board if the vessel rolled in their direction. All the crew lined the rails with this object in view. By careful navigation and expert seamanship Captain Watt manoeuvred his ship alongsido the men. Just as success seemed probable a wave caught the Piri, which was tossed like a cork in the wrong direction, and tho two men 'disappeared in the trough of a wave. Again the captain turned his ship, and once more the crew leaned over the side, each hoping to effect a rescue. The suspense was ncrve-wracking. Again the vessel approached tho men. On this occasion Captain Watt slowed down the engines when almost alongside the lifebuoy and tho vessel rolled over in tho right direction The men were at onto seized by willing hands, who dragged them on to the deck. Beating Off the Mollyhawks. Ilere is Lamg's story of his adventure: —"When I went over the side I said to myself, 'its all up now.' I saw the lifebuoy come out after us, but I had to swim about 50yds. before I reached it. My oilskin and clothes impeded every movement, but I was afraid to remove them, for 1 thought 1 might become entangled in thorn if a wave struck me. 1 pushed tho buoy toward West, who had succeeded in freeing himself of his oilskin. We both grasped at the buoy and waited for tho end Wo could not seo the Piri. She had disappeared altogether. Then we saw her coming back. We knew that no ship's boat could live in such a sea. '"When the Piri passed us by tho first timo wc despaired of ever being rescued. The Piri sank down in tho trough of a wave and wo could seo only tho tops of tho masts. When the Piri approached us the second timo wc both managed to grasp tho rail of the ship, near whero we went over. If it had not been for Captain Watts' handling of tho ship we would not havo been hero today. All the time we were in the water we were compelled to beat off tho mollyhawks, (hat were pecking at our hands, and therefore wo were in danger aJI tho timo of losing our grip on the lifebuoy." Tho Piri enjoyed two fine days at sea before it entered tho harbour, but on arrival it still showed amnio evidence of the buffeting it had received. Tho crows' quarters were still soaked with sea wafer, and some of tho bedding had not dried. ,