WRECKED ON A REEF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20322, 2 February 1928, Page 5

WRECKED ON A REEF.

DRIVEN BY FORCE OF GALE.

PHOSPHATE COMMISSION’S STEAMER.

NO LOSS OF LIFE INVOLVED. (Special to Daily 'Times.J AUCKLAND, February 1. News was received in Auckland to-day by the local office of the British Phosphate Commission of the wreck at Home Bay, Ocean Island, of the cargo steamer Ocean Transport, which was driven on to a coral reef last Monday by a strong south-westerly ;;alc. The vessel had been lying at anchor since January 10 awaiting a suitable berth and favourable weather to commence loading phosphate for Australia. At the time of the mishap she was moored about 400 yards from the edge of the reef, and almost directly in lino with the loading jetty. Before the steamer could be taken out to sea she was driyeu high up o; the coral. At the present time it is feared that she will be •. total loss.

The Ocean Transport, which was under charter to Messrs Andrew Weir and Company, has been engaged in the carriage of phosphates and snlp-rur for some time past. She was owned by the Empire Transport Company (Messrs Houlder Bros.), of West Hartlepool, England, and was of 6463 tons gross register. The vessel’s last visit to Auckland was made on September 5, 1927, when she discharged a cargo of sulphur from Texas. On arrival at Ocean Island on January 10 from Honolulu the Ocean Transport was unable to secure a position at her usual moorings at a stationary buoy situated beyond the reef owing to the presence of other vessels waiting to load. The weather has not been favourable for some time at the island, and loading operations have been suspended on several occasions. A wide coral reef surrounds the island, which is almost oval in shape and about six miles in circumference. On account of this reef all vessels which call at Home Bay are moored some distance from the end of a specially constructed steel wharf, and arc Laded by means of lighters provided by the liosphatc Commission, which controls the working of the deposits on the : daml. The loading berth finally became vacant some days ago, and the Ocean Transport was actually moored to the buoy when a south-westerly gale sprang up on Monday morning. Home Bay faces towards the south, and the full force of the gale was spent over the mooring ground. There is a depth of about a quarter of a mile at the buoy, the sea bottom sloping at an angle of about 45dcg from he reef It was decided to move the steamer further out to sea, as she was unloaded and very light. However, navigation apparently proved almost impossible in the circumstances, and although every effort was made to avert disaster the vessel was carried on to the reef. She came to rest at a point about 200 yards cast of the loading jetty, almost in front of the boating sheds. Vigorous efforts were made to float the steamer off, but without avil, and the crew was finally forced to abandon the ship the same evening. Captain J. N. Organ was in command of the Ocean Transport.