TEN PERISH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21378, 30 December 1932, Page 6

TEN PERISH

TRAGEDY AT NAPIER COLLISION IN HARBOUR LAUNCH SUNK- AT NIGHT WATEBSIDEBS DROWNED TWENTY-ONE SLEVIVOES [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] NAPIEK, Thursday A shipping tragedy unparalleled in the history of the port of Napier occurred at 11 o'clock last night, when the launch Doris, containing 31 men who were returning from working the shipping in the roadstead, collided with, the Richardson vessel Tu Atu, bound for Wairoa, just off the entrance to the Inner Harbour channel. As a result", 10 men were drowned. The tug Kuri was immediately rushed to the scene, and with the aid of a lifeboat from the Tu Atu, a number of men were rescued from the water, one of whom was admitted to the Napier Hospital. Of the 21- survivors, six swam ashore, most of them being exhausted on reaching the Eastern Pier. The dead are:— ' Robert Aplin, aged 58, married, seven children, Westshore. Alex Boyd, aged about 50, married, two children, Westshore. Harold Johnson, about 40, married, no family, Westshore. James Wood, 62, married, one daughter, Shakespeare Road, Napier. John Hopper Wilson, about 60, widower, son resides at Waghorn Street, Port Ahuriri. Edwin Cooper, about 32, married, four children, eldest of whom is five years of age, Carlyle Street, Napier. Thomas Kitt, 40, married, one child, Campbell Street, Port Ahuriri. Walter Andrews, about 40, married, three children, Battery Road, Port Ahuriri. Jethro H. E. Medcalf, 48. married, one child, Battery Road, Port Ahuriri. Norman Low, about 35, married, four children, Nelson Crescent, Napier. Mr. W. Wilmot was reported to be missing, but was fortunate in being able to swim ashore, afterwards proceeding to his home. The survivors are:—Messrs. L. Harrison (injured and in Napier Hospital), F. Dunn, C. Le Geyt, R. Pratt, J. Boyd, R. Jones, J. Joseph, F. Oemcke, P. Jones, R. Nimmo, B. Eddy, S&m Wilson, B. Plunkett, H. Manning, D. McKenny, J. Forne, A. Withington, P. *Hihemia, L. Fenwick, W. Wilmot and E. Mentzer (launchman). The men had been working frozen meat on the Commonwealth and Dominion Line steamers Port Brisbane ans Port Hunter in the roadstead about 10.55 o'clock. The Tu Atu got away with two gangs and returned to port. The launch Doris, which left . shortly afterwards, had on board one gang 1 from each of the overseas vessels. The Tu Atu left her berth hu the inner harbour a few minutes after 11 p.m. She was making out to sea and was within a short distance of the Western Pier when she came into collision with .the Doris. After being struck on the starboard quarter, the launch turned completely over and filled with water. The night, although dark, was clear, and the water was perfectly calm. _ No Sign of Panic When the occupants of the launch were hurled into the sea they behaved with commendable fortitude. There were calls for help, but not the, slightest sign of, panic. Many of the survivors, fully clothed and with coats on, swam about picking up spars to cling to until they were, rescued ten minutes later by the Kuri," ■which had been following the Doris. The tragedy cast a gloom over Port Ahuriri and from an early hour hundreds of people lined the waterfront anxiously awaiting news. Relatives bravely waited with the hope of hearing something of their lost ones, but all hopes for their safety had to be abandoned. The waterfront presented a pathetic sight this morning, sorrowful women and sad-faced men discussing the tragedy that has claimed so many from their midst. All labour on the waterfront was suspended to-day and several trucks of meat, which had ben railed to the Iron Pot to be loaded into lighters, were returned to the works. The watersiders had no heart to carry on with their work after such a large number of men had been removed from their ranks. First News of Disaster The first news of the disaster was received by the Port Ahuriri police from Mr. James Josephs, the first survivor to come ashore. Sergeant Claasen stated that ( Mr. Josephs called at the police station in an exhausted condition and said that unless immediate assistance was rendered the majority of the occupants of the Doris would be drowned. With Mr. Josephs was Mr. Percy, Gillies, of Westshore, an employee of Richardson and Company, Ltd., who informed the sergeant that all the company's launches were in use and he had been unable to procure another. Constable A. Prater told Mr. Josephs to get in touch with Mr. Arthur Martin, owner of the launch Naomi. This was done and Sergeant Claasen and Constable Prater set out for the scene of the disaster. The police officers found the Tu Atu and the tug Coralie abreast of each other, and they could several of the watersiders on the Coralie* They cruised round in the vicinity of the catastrophe, but did not find anyone. They then brought the survivors to the shore and Mrs. Claasen gave them refreshments at the Port Ahuriri police station Attempt to Revive Life

Sergeant Claasen and Constable Prater .returned later to the roadstead to search for bodies, and at 1.25 a.m. they found the body of Mr. Medcalf, which was taken ashore. Artificial respiration was applied until 1.40 a.m. under the supervision of Dr. W. G. Fitzgerald, Avho then pronounced life extinct. J Private launches, rowing boats and small dinghies joined in the search shortly after daybreak and the roadstead was dotted with small craft covering a wide area. A few minutes after 11 a.m. an aeroplane, piloted by Flying-Officer A. C. Gcrrand,' of the Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club, accompanied by Captain Smith, official observer of the Napier Aero Club, flew over an area of several acres surrounding the spot where the Doris capsized. The aeroplane returned shortly after mid-day, reporting that no trace had been seen of any of the seven men then missing. When the launch was recovered this morning it was found to be undamaged. Nine bodies have so far been recovered.' The missing man is Mr. Low.