WRECK OF THE INGER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 6089, 22 December 1906, Page 4

WRECK OF THE INGER

Captain Johannessen- and the crew of the steamer Inger, which was wrecked at Ocean Island last mouth, arrived in Sydney the other day, and gave some details of tho affair. On arrival of the Inger at Ocean Island the weather wag beautifully fine, and Captain Johansson made fast to one of the buoys, and loading operations were immediately commenced, some 1300 tons of phosphates being placed on board. About 5 a.m. on November 20 a henry sonall struck the vessel, and Captain Jolianssen gave instructions for the cable to be slipped. One of the mooring chains however snapped, and nortien of it became entangled around the propeller. An attempt was made to clear away the chain, but before this could be done the Inger drifted on the reef. Tho wind, which wag blowing with increased violence, caused tho vessel to bump heavily on the rocks, and it was seen that she was making water freely. Everv effort was made, to save the vessel, but the task was hopeless, and as the stormy conditions continued the crew abandoned her in the afternoon. They had little, difficulty in reaching the shore, oe tho water was only a few feet deep, and it was not necessary to employ the boats, Tho contain and officers remained upon the doomed vessel. An inspection of the engine-room was made, and it was found that tho water had almost reached the boilers, and shortly afterwards tho fires were extinguished. Captain Tate, tho harbourmaster at the island, snVrenently visited the vessel, and advised the captain to go ashore, as it would bo, dangerous to stand by tho vessel any longer. The following morning the vessel avas found to have been badly battered about by the seas. and was a total wreck. It was decided, to sell the wreck, which was purchased bv the P-cific Phosphates Company for £2OO. They immediately commenced tho work of dismantling her. but the vessel slipped off the reef and sank in 200 fathoms of water, the only things saved being an anchor and chain and a email quantity of etoorcs. In the course ef conversation, Captn'n Johansen said he considered that the wreck was' due to nothing hut bad luck. He had been trading to Ocean Island for tho past two and a half years, antifluring that time had loaded over half a million tone of qlrbsnhatcn. The moorings were in his opinion n£rfcctly safe, and tho mishap had been caused solely through n. fault in one of the_ wire hawsers holding the buoy in position.