SCHOONER OVERTURNED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18987, 8 October 1923, Page 8

SCHOONER OVERTURNED

LOSS NEAR FREMANTLE. FOUR OF THE CREW DROWNED. PERTH, September 24. The schooner Seaflower, (65 tons) was lost with four of the crew in a storm nine miles north of Moore River, and 60 miles north of Fremantle. The sole survivor, Mr C. R. Cornish, clung to the wreckage, and was washed ashore four miles distant, after being in the water for four hours. He watched in vain for several hours for signs of Captain Hansen and Messrs Oscar and Albert Anderson, and the cook, James Gray, and then walked barefooted ten miles through the bush before he came to a farmhouse, where he was given attention. The vessel, which was owned by the North-west Coastal Company, was carrying a cargo of whale oil and guano from Point Cloates to Fremantle. Cornish stated that the schooner had a terrible time since Sunday, and was overturned by a wave 60ft high. About 4 o’clock on Wednesday morning the oeaflower was about ten miles off the coast, but the wind drove the ship toward the, reef parallel to the shore. The ground swell lose to a tremendous height, and a wall of water came up, hitting the boat square on, turning her over. When he came to the surface he saw Oscar Anderson swimming towards a spar. Cornish was then overwhelmed by a wave, and when he came to the surface he saw no sign of Anderson. Cornish floated ashore on a piece of timber.