PERILS OF THE SEA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 27

PERILS OF THE SEA.

WRECK OP THE SATARA. SYDNEY, April 20. The steamer Satara, bound from Newcastle to Singapore, foundered! off the ! Seal Rocks. The Satara was one of the British India Company’s fleet. She carried a cargo of i 4500 tons of coal. The steamer Orara was standing by j when the Satara sank, and l it is believed ! that she rescued the crew. The Satara was proceeding on her course, when the lighthouse-keeper at I Seal Rocks saw her suddenly hoist signals | of distress and turn round. The steamer Orara was then despatched to the Satara’s assistance. Twenty minutes after the hoisting of the signals the Satara plunged forward and disappeared. Boatloads of people were seen making for the Orara, but whether all are saved is unknown yet. The Satara was in charge of captain Hugill, and carried nine European officers and a crew of 78 laecars. Full details concerning the loss of the Satara will not be available before the morning, when the steamer Dorrigo with the rescued crew is expected to reach Sydney. The latest report from Sea> Rocks states that all the crew except two coolies have been saved. The Satara- left Newcastle, this morning. Heavy ®eas are running, with fierce squalls. The vessel struck just outside* the Seal Rocks, and lies about five miles south by east of the lighthouse—right in the course of coastal vessels. The waves are breaking over her. When the Satara was in distress she passed the Orara, but did not speak her. i The lighthouse signalled the Orara to render assistance, and the latter at once made for the scene. In the meantime the sinking vessel had launched the boats, four getting clear just before she plunged under. The castaways’ boats reached the Orara with difficulty owing to the heavy sea. When they got aboard it was discovered that two coolies- were missing. | The steamer Dorrigo then came on the scene and assisted in a futile search for the missing men. The two rescue steamers then proceeded to Seal Rock Bay, and the Dorrigo took the castaways on beard .and proceeded to Sydney. April 21. | T' a officers and crew of the Satara have 1 ai.'.ved. The captain declines to make a statement. i Pilot Binstead, however, states that the * inner passage of the Seal Rocks was taken, and that the vessel struck suddenly. The sea was not heavy, though he believes there was a strong inset. The utmost calm prevailed among the lascar crew, who immediately went to their posts. i After the vessel struck, he decided to beach, her. Tire vessel would not answer the helm at first, but afterwards he got ! her headed inshore. The water, however, gained so fast that there was no hop© of beaching. j The crew were ordered into the boats, j the captain and pilot and officers being the last to leave. The latter were plunged into • the wafer as the vessel suddenly dipped forward! and disappeared from sight. i The pilot himself was sucked down, but all were eventually picked up. No lives were lost at alb The Satara settled down so fast that the rudder was out of the water, and j she was uncontrollable. She sank within | an hour. The fifth engineer was in the water a long time, through the boat sinking alongside the Orara, and was nearly frozen. The third engineer states that there was no break to indicate the presence of a shoal. The davits broke when one of the boats was being lowered, and the boat j sank, but there was plenty of room for all in the other boats. _ | The two I a scars 'belonging to the Satara’s crew who were reported to have been drowned went down with the vessel, | and were floating for a long time before 1 they were rescued. ; The crew lost everything. I The Satara was valued at from £IOO,OOO to £150,000, and her cargo at between £7OOO and £BOOO. The company is its own underwriter. SCOW IN A GALE. DECK CARGO JETTISONED. GISBORNE, April 21. The scow Magic, from Greymoidh. had a perilous experience. She ran into a gale off Palliser. Her foretopmast was carried away, and the Magic was blown 120 miles out to sea by a hurricane which lasted three days. A tremendously heavy sea was . running, and the deck cargo had to be jettisoned to lighten the vessel. The crew had very trying experiences.