DRIVEN ON ROCKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21921, 5 April 1933, Page 6

DRIVEN ON ROCKS

LOSS OF FISHING KETCH CREW LAND IN SAFETY. (Pee United Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, April 4. The auxiliary ketch Lily, owned by Mr A. Pasco, of Invercargill, came to grief this morning on the rocky northern shore of Bluff harbour during extremely boisterous weather. She left Half Moon Bay at an early hour with a full cargo of cased fish, and experienced very bad weather in Foveaux Strait. A considerable amount of water was shipped on the trip across, and on entering the harbour the engines stopped. The use of sails in such a gale was impossible, and the anchor was dropped, but the vessel was gradually driven ahore by the force of the wind and sea. With the severe pounding she received it is not believed that she will be refloated. When the crew was seen to be in difficulties the Britannia and the Digger put out to assist, but nothing could he done on the lee shore as these vessels would only have been courting a similar fate. The crew consisted of J. Johansen (master), Andrew Anderson and Kenneth Braid, who got safely ashore by means of a dinghy and a communication rope. They all showed traces of the buffeting they had experienced. This afternoon 200 cases of fish were transferred without mishap to an oyster vessel.

A later inspection of the Lily revealed that she had suffered extensive damage and had filled with water. Further attempts to tow her off were therefore abandoned. In her exposed position she will doubtless rapidly break up.