LOSS OF SHIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23618, 30 March 1940, Page 12

LOSS OF SHIP

■ COAST OF TASMANIA MASTER EXONERATED CONDUCT COMMENDED By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received March 29, 11.35 p.m.) MELBOURNE, March 20 Following the, Marine Court of Inquiry into the loss of the Union Company's small motor-ship Kahika off ' the west coast of Tasmania on March IG, the Court to-day exonerated the master, Captain David Keith, and also commended him for his conduct after the vessel foundered. The Court found that the Kahika struck an undiscovered obstacle not shown on Admiralty charts. It recommended that a light should be 'installed at Sandy Cape; also that a survey should he made of the portion of /the coast near where the Kahika Bank. When the Kahika struck the unchartered obstacle she foundered in a few minutes. The crew of 2-t men launched a lifeboat and reached land Bafply. The overloaded boat could not carry them all, and frequently men had to swim beside it, while the others in the bout baled furiously. Captain Keith and the crew saved only what they stood up in. Fortunately the sea was calm and the men landed at daybreak. Local residents gave them food and clothing before they were taken to Burnie by motorOne of the large number of ships constructed in Scotland for the Union Steam Ship Company in the past three years, the Kahika had never % lsitcd Auckland.