TRAGEDIES OF THE SEA

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10812, 31 January 1921, Page 5

TRAGEDIES OF THE SEA

COASTING VESSEL CAPSIZES NEAR HEADS - \ CAPTAIN AND CREW OF FIVE DROWNED GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF MEN’S STRUGGLE TWO BODIES RECOVERED YESTERDAY A tragedy of the sea occurred in the early hours of yestep* day morning, when the aux. sch. Omaka, 64 tons, was overwhelm* ed by a fierce squall and heavy sea while entering the Wellington Heads and was lost with all hands. The Omaka was arriving from Blenheim In a hard southerly gale with a cargo of chaff, when she was observed by the lightkeepor at Pencarrow Head to broach-to and capsize. One man was observed in the ship’s dinghy, but it was immediately capsized and he was seen no more. Three men were visible clinging to wreckage for some time as they drifted up the harbour, and although two coastal steamers passed fairly olose to them they were unobserved by those on board and finally they became exhausted and went down. The capsized vessel drifted ashore two miles up the harbour from the lighthouse and was shattered to matchwood. The crew com* prised:— CAPTAIN A. E. HUNTER-PURVIS. about 38 years of age, married. JOHN TYRELL WEEKES, engineer, married. WILLIAM LEONARD WATSON, acting-mate, about 27 years of age, single. HAROLD STAPLETON, ordinary seaman, 22 years of age, single. J. MARLOW, cook, about 38 years of age, married. TOMMY , ship's boy, single. The body of Weekes, the engineer, was found inside a deck‘house which washed ashore at Petone early yesterday afternoon.

SEEN FROM THE SHORE WHAT DAWN REVEALED. A BATTLE FOR LIFE. TWO BODIES RECOVERED. The southerly gale which wrought the distressing tragedy of the sea men, ttoned above swept up the harbour early on Saturday afternoon. It raged throughout the night with heavy rain squalls, but the morning broke clear, although the wind still Hew very hard from the south, causing a break at the entrance to-the harbour. J. Hussey, an assistant bghtkeeper at Pencarrow lighthouse, on the eastern side of the heads, saw the Omaka having a rough time, and then sudden, ly heel over and capsise. He called the principal keeper, T. B. Smith, and with another assistant, Cocker, went down to the foreshore to light fires to encourage the survivors who were battling for their lives in the tempestuous Messages were sent to Wellington, hut before assistance could come the men from the Omaka had became exhausted and gone down. The schooner drifted up the harbour mid came close in to the eastern shore, where she was shattered to pieces. THE DECKHOUSE ADRIFT. WASHED ASHORE AT KETONE. During the morning the deckhouse, with other wreckage, was seen drifting up the harbour past Ward Island, so cMtain of the Easthrarnc Borough Council’s ferry steamer Duchess.was instructed to keep a look-out for the objects. The master of the Duchess sighted the deckhouse about 10.30 a.m. and altered his course for a closer inspection of it. He circled twice around the deckhouse but found no evidence of life about it. The structure, os stated above, 'eventually stranded at l’etone. * PROMPT ACTION BY POLICE. THOROUGH SEARCH INSTTTiIteD. i TWO BODIES RECOVERED. Early yesterday morning when the news of the tragedy was received by the police, Superintendent S. P. Norwood, accompanied by Constables Grucey, Audley and Brown, proceeded by motorcar out to Stingaree Bay, where they wer met by the assistant-lightkeep-era Cocker and Hussey. Prior to this Constable Thompson, of Day’s Bay, had been instructed by telephone to go out by motor-cycle to the v icinity of the mishap, The police then carefully searched the beach for miles for the bodies of the drowned men, but no trace could be found of them. ’ A great quantity of chaff and planking had washed ashore from Pencarrow up to Stingaree Bay. From the , latter vicinity up to Petone there was nothing at all from the wreck. But at Petone the ship*? deckhouse, with the body of Weaker, a quantity of chaff andT wreckage had drifted ashore. Early last evening the police received news that another body had been picked up on the Petone foreshore, and the police motor was dispatched to bring it in to the morgue. . ■ Arrangements were made by the superintendent of police last evening for a thorough search of the beach along the eastern side of the harbour for the purpose of finding any more of the bodies that may wash ashore. When a southerly gale is raging in Cook Strait it causes a dangerous ‘'break” at the entrance to Wellington harbour, and even fair-sized passenger steamers have been unable to face it. Some years 0430 one of the Union Company's Nelson passenger atn—lll ini was swept and damaged by an ugly sea while entering Wellington heads under similar conditions to those that obtained yesterday morning. It n fresh also in the minds of many that a Wellington yacht was overwhelmed at the entrance by the '‘break” a few years ago, and ell bands were 'lost. The boot washed ashore at Petone.

PATHETIC DETAILS EYE WITNESS'S STORY. OF SmUGfiLE FOB LIFE. TWO STEAMERS PASS BY. TO RETURN IN VAIN. Interviewed by a ‘“nines” representative, Mr T. B. Smith (principal keeper at Pencarraw Lighthouse) gave, in simple language, a most graphic, vivid, and pathetic story of the accident, and of the brave struggle for life of a number of the men on the ill-fated schooner “Temporary lighthouse-keeper J. Hussey was on duty at the lighthouse at the time that the accident occurred, ’ ’ said Mr Smith. “Whilst extinguishing ‘the lights at 4.45 this morning he noticed the schooner Omaka making into the harbour under a foresail and jib. Hex mainsail was not set. He put out the lights, palled down the blinds, and went downstairs; and when he went outside he saw the vessel capsize. A strong southerly gale was blowing at the tune, and the vessel was running before the wind; when suddenly she broached to, ae she would have a tendency to do in the heavy sea that was running. A big waive struck her at the same time, and over she went. This happened about a quarter of a mile .west of the lighthouse, just off the lowlevel light, and a quarter of a mile or so from where the Devon rests. CLINGING TO THE WRECKAGE. MEN SWEPT AWAY. “As soon as she capsized the assistant lighthouse-keeper called me, and I went up to the ■ top of the hillock about 50 yards away and, had a 'look "at her with the tcfleeoope. I saw the wreck, and the waiter was strewn with bags of chaff, timber, and other wreckage, which had been swept from die vessel. I could make out the forms of at least two sailors hanging on to thb wreckage, and I immediately rushed to the telephone, communicated with the Tolls Office, Wellington, and made report that help wus urgently needed and should be sent at once. I then went back to the top of the hill, got my telescope, and kept in view the men who were struggling in the water amidst the wreckage. I kept my two assistants—'Hussey and Cooker—on the beach to light fires opposite these men, with the double object of showing them where to land and letting them knorw that assistance was available, and there was somebody to receive them if they came ashore. They were, however, drifting op the harbour. I could then make out three men amongst the wreckage. One was clinging to a 400gaUdn tank, hut, becoming exhausted, he was swept away, and I saw him throw up has arms and disappear. It was then ten minutes past six. The other two men were clinging to a long plank, one at each end. They were holding on with their arms right round the plank, as the big waves rolled. WAIRAU AND BADEN POWELL PASS. FAIL TO SEE MEN. In the meantime, about twenty minutes past five, the steamer Wairau appeared entering the harbour and passed some 300 yards away, but apparently did not Fee either the wreckage or the men struggling in the water. I shouted and waved and did all I possibly could to attract the attention of those on the incoming vessel, but to no purpose. They evidently neither saw me waving nor heard my cries. By this time the wreck had been blown inshore considerably, and had struck half a mile further on, where she subsequently broke up about 9 o’clock. But the wreckage with these men hanging on to it was swept on. Later the Baden Powell came in and passed the men about (it seemed) 100 yards away. We again made frantic efforts to attract the attention of those on board, but without avail. Fiy this time the mass of the hull had apparently righted itself, and with the spars was partly visible.

A HOPELESS STRUGGLE TWO MEN DISAPPEAR. The man who was on the tank had disappeared some time before; but I kept the other two men in view all the time until they had nearly ‘gone out of sight round the point towards Eastbourne. A MILE OF “WRECKAGE. “There was about a mile of wreckage in all—benzine tanks, fodder, timber, etc.—drifting with wind and current faster than one could walk. I then took my telescope and ran as hard as I could to the Doint, where I saw one of the men on the plank throw up his hands and go down. TWO PATHETIC INCIDENTS. CHEERING EACH OTHER. “As the second steamer jiassed 1 distinctly saw the men who were clinging to the plank make a supreme effort to draw themselves on to the plank and attract the attention of those on the passing steamer. Tliey drew themselves up almost into a kneeling position on the plank, but apparently they were not seen nor their cries heard.” A most pathetic incident was related by the principal lighthouse-keeper. “Owing to the wind aftd the current,” ho said, “the 400-gallon tank, with the man clinging to it, kept veermg about, now to this side and now to that, of the plank with the two men hanging on to it; and once, when it- passed them, I saw the two men on the plank wave encouragingly' to and apparently cheer the man on the tank.” A FRUITLESS SEARCH. NO BODIES FOUND. ‘‘The Wairau and the Baden Powell,” he added, “had gone on to the wharf, where they were told of the wreck; and the Harbour Board pilot ( Captain McLeod) came on the -Wairau out to where the wreckage was. The Baden Powell also came out, and we lighted fires again to attract attention'. The gale was blowing so hard that the progress of the vessels was retarded to such an extent that when they reached the wreckage it was 2i hours after the accident, and the men had disappeared. The assistant-liglithouse-keeper had followed up along the beach the drift of the men on the plank; apd about half an hour after he started, he saw one man swept from his hold and disappear. Then, following on as far as Gollan’s Bay, he saw the second man on the plank also disappear. • The steamers came to where we saw the men disappear, and cruised round for some considerable time. Captain McLeod was up in the rigging of the Wairau searching for them with the glasses; but without success; and after a long interval they steamed back to Wellington. VESSEL BREAKS UP. SMASHED TO MATCHWOD. “The schooner has completely broken up, and disappeared. The hull was smashed to matchwood, and only a mass of- spars and debris is left, the beach refng strewn with brass-piping, bags of chaff, benzine cases, and sacks of general merchandise. FURTHER DETAILS. PLUCKY STRUGGLE TO THE END. “When the man on watch came down to mo he stated that he distinctly saw one man, probably the helmsman, swept overboard as the schooner broached to, and he was clambering up the side again when she capsized. My son also saw a man seated in the ship’s dinghy after the vessel capsized; but a Trig <wave overwhelmed dinghy and all. I saw the men on the plank making frantic efforts to tear off their clothes so that they could swim better; and a torn sweater was afterwards found on the beach, showing that they had partly succeeded. “The vessel, or what is left of her, lies two miles up the harbour from the low level light. SEARCH FOR THE BODIES TWO RECOVERED AT PETONE. WASHED UP ON BEACH. BOTH IDENTIFIED. Soon after 6 o’clock yesterday morning the police at Petone received in structions from Superintendent Norwood to patrol the beach for signs of wreckage, as it was thought possible that members' of the crew of the little vessel might have succeeded in clinging to some improvised raft or boat. The wind was'blowing from the harbour entrance direct towards the Petone beach, and it was estimated_ that floating wreckage would be driven ap tin the shore tnore. A constable was sent to Lower Hutt with instructions to the police there, and soon after 7 o’clock Constable Frost set out on a motorbicycle. When Constable Frost joined the lighthouse-keepers their attention was >dra<wn to a large' piece of wreckage which went floating by far out in the channel. It appeared to he travelling at a fast rate, and the watchers thought it was the capsized vessel itself. In less than an hour it had floated out of sight towards Petonei A thorough search was made of the beach from the heads to the mouth of the Butt river, but beyond a few sacks of chaff which came ashore near Gollan’s Valley road, nothing was discovered. It was nearly H o’clock when the watchers at Petone saw a large piece of wreokage approaching the shore. It was first discovered by Mr W. Burns, of Bolton street, who put off in a small boat to examine it. The heavy sea prevented Mr Burns from getting clobo to the obstacle, which hb found was the deckhouse of tile vessel, so -he returned to the beach and waited. When the deckhouse stranded Mr Burn walked out to it, and on opening one of the cabin doors he saw a man rising and falling with the water. On making further investigations he discovered the body of a man under a bunk floating in the water, face downwards. He summoned help from the shore, and the body, which was only dressed in a singlet, was Carried ashore and taken

charge of by the police! A visitor from Wellington identified the body as that of John Weeks, engineer of the Omaka. The body was conveyed to 'the morgue later in the day. Mr Burns stated that the deckhouse was practically intact, but across the skylight a rope had been made fast is if a person had lashed himself to the roof of the deckhouse. The police,- on recovering the second body, which came ashore near the National Hotel last evening, found it considerably knocked a,bout by the water against the rocks. There was nothing on the corpse but a shirt. The remains are those of a man about 40 years of age wearing a black moustache. Those who knew the members of the crew state that the description is that of tne cook Marlow. The beach at Petone is strewn with a small amount of wreckage in addition to the deckhouse. This includes a lifebuoy, a skylight, and some timber. The beach was patrolled throughout the night, and up to a late hour nothing further had been seen with the exception of some bags of chaff. Superintendent Norwood was early on the scene yesterday morning when he learnt that a ship had met with disaster. He motored round towards the lighthouse and visited Petone and the bays. SOME PERSONAL DETAILS OF THE LOST GREW. THREE MARRIED MEN. ALL WELLINGTON RESIDENTS. Captain A. E. Hunter-Purvis leaves a widow and two children, who reeade at 37, Tamar street, Island Bay. For' some years he was engaged in the service of the Anchor Shipping Co., of Nelson, and subsequently in that of the Union Steam Ship Company. He next came ashore and Kept a hotel up country for a while. Captain Buryis was master of the auxiliary schooner Lily when she was wrecked on Kapiti Island a few months ago. He was a popular skipper, abstemious and devoted to his profession. ' THE ENGINEER. John T. Weekes, the engineer, was a married man, about 40 years or age, with four children, his home being at 25, Elizabeth street. Deceased was a highly skilled motor mechanic and was formerly foreman. . for Magnus, Sanderson and Co. He subsequently was employed for six months as taxi-driver for De Erneste Row ■ and Co., .taxiproprietors. He drr e an eight-cylin-der Cadillac, his c-tv stand being in Featherston street. Weekes resigned that position about four or five ago to go to sea. • THE ACTING-MATE. William Leonard Watson, actingmate, was a young Englishman, who had some years experience on the British coast; in small sailing vessels. _ Ho came out to New Zealand some, eight I years ago and had no relations in the Dominion., He was a Comrade of Stapleton’s and when ashore resided with him. HIS LAST TRIP. Harold Stapleton, ordinary seaman, was born 22 years ago at Christchurch, and received his first sea-faring experience on the Government training ship Amokura. He served with. the Anchor Shipping Company (Nelson), and during the war was on the hospital ship Maheno and went trooping with the Ulimaroa. Stapl'ettOn had been only three weeks on the Oimaka -and was making what he intended to be his final trip, as he planned to take up a position ashore. He was a young man of fin© physique and temperate habits. He was the only son of Mr Percdval Stapleton, who is employed in Murray, Roberts and Oo.’s wool department. His home was a.t No 5, College street, ! off Kent terrace. ' COOK ANJ> SHIP’S BOY. J. Marlow, the cook, reaided with his wife and three children at Brooklyn. Tommy, the ship’s boy, was lately aa apprentice on the G. H. Scales Ltd. (Wellington) barque Rona, running between Newcastle and Wellington. It is. believed that bis parents reside in the Taranaki district. THE LOST OMAKA. BLENHEIM-OWNED VESSEL. The Omaka, formerly named the May Howard, was 'built at Erina, New South Wales, an ISB6. She was a handy little wooden vessel of 64 tons gross, and 55 tons net, of the following dimensions :—Length, 78ft; beam, 20ft 6in ; depth of hold/6ift 2in. She was fitted with a single screw and propelled by a light 24h.p, motor, which gave her a speed, without Sails, from 4 to 5 knots pier hour. The assistant light-house-keeper is of the opinion that the vessel was not using her motor when she met with disaster. The Omaka had a benzine-driven cargo winch and electric lighting, generated by an oil motor When her last engine was installed same months ago the vessel’s sail area was reduced. Her owners, Ebkford and 00., hhwe a fleet comprising the steamers Wairau, Opawa and auxiliary scow Echo. The founder of the company, which has its headquarters at Blenheim, was tihe late Captain Thomas Eckfond, whose son nuow conducts the business. ’I - he Wellington agents are Lewim and 00., Ltd. When the news of the accident reached Mr W. E. Fuller, shipping manager for Levin and Co., he was at Eastbourne. Ho came over to town yesterday morning and broke the sad tidings to the relatives of the deceased. A TIMARU SUICIDE CHINESE SLASHES HIS THROAT WITH A RAZOR. ns PRESS -ASSOCIATION. TIMAR.U, January 30. An inquest was held to-day into the death of Yeek Fat, a Chinese laundryman, who had been in business in Stafford street for four months, who slashed his throat with a, razor yesterday afternoon. Deceased’s father-in-law, who resided with him ; went upstairs to fetch him to deal witn some customers, and found him on the floor in a pool pf blood. The police and a doctor were sent for, and the latter Baid that the windpipe and arteries were severed. A verdict was returned accordingly. Deceased was about 43, and his wife and family are in China. The father-in-law said he was in good spirits shortly before and had never complained of ill-health. He was doing well in busing ■- ■■, but was in debt to the witness and others a few hundred pounds.