COLLISION AT SEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20218, 1 April 1929, Page 9

COLLISION AT SEA.

NORWEGIAN SHIP SUNK.

KAITUNA BADLY DAMAGED.

CREW OF LOST STEAMER.

RESCUE OP ALL HANDS.

CARGO OF WHEAT GONE.

(Received March 31, 5.15 p.m.)

MELBOURNE, March 31

A Norwegian steamer, the Selje, 6630 tons, foundered about 120 miles west of Port Philip Heads at 10 p.m. on Friday night after a collision with the Union Company's steamer Kaituna, 2042 tons. Iho crew of (he Kaituna rescued the crew of I lie Selje. The Kaituna's bows were badly damaged and her captain wirelessed for assistance to enable her to roach port.

The Selje had a cargo of 114,000 hags of wheat on board, valued at £75_,000. A wireless message received at Melbourne indicated (hat the vessel was in difficulties. Tho words " sinking fast" wero faintly heard. Tho message obviously was incomplete.

Tho Kaituna reached Port Melbourne last night. llcr bows were stove in and she had been shipping seas in her forward tanks.

A member of tho Selje's crew named Keys said that when he reached tho dockafter tho collision lie found the Kaituna's nose had been pushed half way through the larger ship at No. 6 hatch. Tho water was rushing in at a great rate so tho crew took to the boats.

Captain Endreson and the wireless operator, Osbjornsen, were tho last men to leave tho ship. They had to jump into the sea. Osbjornsen was a quarter of an hour in tho shark-infested waters boforo ho was picked up.

The Selje sank 25 minutes after she was struck. There was no explosion. Questioned last night Captain Endreson declined to indicate the cause of the collision. He said the visibility was good. He saw the Kaituna, but was not prepared to say from what direction she came, or why she struck his ship.

The master of the Kaituna, which was on the way from Adelaide to Auckland and New Plymouth, declined to say anything.

So far as can be ascertained the night was clear.

The Kaituna must have come down on to the Selje from the top of a wave. Her own bc-ws were su badly damaged that probably she would have sunk if her forward tanks had riot been promptly pumped out. This lifted her fore-peak and enabled collision mats to be placed over tho gaping holes. Several ships answered the wireless calls of the Kaituna, but when they arrived on the scene the crew had the ship s safety assured.

The Selje was a steel steamer and was built bv W. Doxford and Sons, Limited, at, SunderlanJ in 1921- Her former name was llallgrim. Her cargo of wheat was intended for discharge in Britain or on the Continent as required. The Kaituna is one of the older cargo steamers owned by the. Union Company. Her former name was Needwood, and she was built by Messrs. Osborne Graham ; ,nd Co. in 1904. For the greater part ot her career she has been used on the intercolonial and West. Const coal scivico. Captain A. B. Sixer is in command of the Kaituna. He joined her at. Wellington before she left for South Australian ports to load for New Zealand.