TANKER ASHORE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22457, 29 June 1936, Page 11

TANKER ASHORE

DISTRESS SIGNALS

HEARD BY THE MARIPOSA

While keeping tlie early morning watch on Saturday, one of the wireless operators on the Mariposa picked up an S.O.S. signal from the American oil tanker Magnolia, which stated that the vessel was ashoro at Ross Island, south of Japan, and was leaking badly. Messages were also picked up from the wireless station at Hongkong and another ship in the vicinity. The first message, which was received at good strength from Hongkong shortly after 5 a.m. as the Mariposa was approaching Auckland, said:— "Following dis'tress message received from S.S. Magnolia; 'Ashore south end Ross Island; forward end ship hard fast; gasoline tanks holed; leaking badlv.' "

The S.O.S. signal from the Magnolia said: "S.S. Magnolia ashore and in distress at Ross Island. Want someone to stand by." Another message stating that the Magnolia was in distress was relaved from a ship with the call letters GLKW.

These signals were received by the Auckland wireless station at the same time in the morning, but they were too weak to be deciphered. Tlio station therefore called the Mariposa, which relayed the messages to Auckland. No further signals wore received during the day. The message from the Magnolia was the fifth distress signal that had been picked up by the Mariposa within the last week. The other messages were from the Danish vessel Stanford, which went ashore on African Reof, near Fremantle, Western Australia, and from the freighter Mungana, which was disabled owing to a broken shaft about 200 miles from Adelaide. Two S.O.S. signals were received from ships that got into difficulties in going to the assistance of the Mungana.