MISHAP TO THE ECHO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21827, 14 December 1932, Page 7

MISHAP TO THE ECHO

FINDING OF MARINE COURT MASTER OF SCOW EXONERATED (Per United Press Association-.): WELLINGTON, December 13. The Marine, Court’s finding ,in the scow Echo case states that in the opinion of the court the casualty was due to a combination of circumstances for which the master could not be held to blame. ' The casualty was, in the view of the court, due to.misadventure, and was not contributed to -by any act or default on the part of the master and crew. The ' judgment states that, -as the vessel was nearing the point at which the leading lights of the harbour should have become visible, k particularly heavy rain squall obliterated the surroundings and made it difficult to estimate the distance of the vessel from Pencarrow light. No sign could be seen of any light inside Wellington Harboiir. In a normally powered steamer a prudent master would, in such circumstances, have headed out to sea until'visibility improved, but with this vessel, being a scow, and having low-powered engines, and there being a .moderate gale blowing and a heavy sea' running, such a manoeuvre was impossible. The master was compelled to make the entrance. The fact that the vessel was-of such a type as to be unable in the weather prevailing to turn and make to windward, and was thus compelled to carry on, and the fact that, at the critical" time, the whole of the harbour lights were obscured by a squall of blinding rain, combined to make the master’s position one of extreme difficulty. It was necessary for him to carry on sufficiently far to dear Barrett’s Reef, and the absence of any lights other than Pencarrow made it difficult for him to estimate exactly when he had done this. When he finally, gave the order for a change of course the 1 vessel was nearing the shore on the Pencarrow side, and the difficulty, in the wind and weather existing, in bringing her round to this course was the final circumstance which led to her .striking.