VESSEL STILL MISSING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21007, 19 October 1931, Page 6

VESSEL STILL MISSING.

NO TRACE OF KOTITI.. MORE OIL DRUMS ASHORE. DOOR FRAME ALSO FOUND. SEARCH PARTIES ORGANISED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] ■WELLINGTON. Sunday. Fears for the safety of the motor-vessel Kotiti, of 62 tons, have been increased. The Kotiti left Westport at 4 a.m. on October 10 for ■ Foxton and has not reached her destination. On Friday some empty drums were found washed up on the beach at Kaihoka, north of Westport, and it was considered that they were a portion of the Kotiti's deck cargo. A further message was received by the Secretary (*f Marine on Saturday from Mr. J. 0. Harris, who discovered these oil" drums. It reads: "Have searched coast northward from Kaihoka, a distance of five miles. Am unable to proceed further at present owing to the tide. Have recovered four additional oil drums and a small door-frame, evidently off a cabin (or hatch). Search paities ha\o been organised as required." Although the fact that at the timo no vessel had been reported in difficulties caused them to attach no importance to tho incident, Mr. J. Moffitt, the wellknown Rugby referee, and a companion, saw a small vessel closely corresponding to the Kotiti in difficulties at Oterangi Bay on Monday afternoon. However, this has since proved to be the motor-ship loxton, which left Willington at 2.30 p.m. on Monday for Fatea and later put back to port owing to heavy weather. Her identity was proved by Captain Kane, master of the Tamahine, who reported the fact on Saturday after hearing Mr. MofFitt's statement. Captain Johansen is master of the Kotiti and Mr. H. Soares, tho principal owner, is the engineer on board. The Kotiti usually carries two and sometimes three deck hands. AN UNSUCCESSFUL QUEST. FLIGHT ALONG COASTLINE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] CnEISTCHURCH, Sunday. Flight-Lieutenant Buckley returned to the "Wigram aerodrome this evening after searching tho coastline from Kahurangi Foint into Queen Charlotte Sound without finding any trace of the Kotiti. The north-west conditions made flying rather rough, but the visibility was perfect. The airman spent three hours searching on Saturday afternoon and two hours to-day. Ife flew above the sounds, where there are thousands of sheltering places, but the Kotiti was not located.