ATUA’S ACCIDENT

Otago Witness, Issue 3510, 21 June 1921, Page 42

ATUA’S ACCIDENT

MARINE BOARD’S DECISION. THE MASTER COMMENDED. AUCKLAND, June 16. Giving evidence at the Marine Board iijtuiiry concerning the stranding of the Union Company’s steamer Atwa at Fiji, Captain J. Frew said that the weather was -thick, with intermittent rain squalls. He was picking u p the reef's as the ship came abreast of them, and was half a mile off the Naoua beacon. He expected to pass a quarter of a mile off the reef, but hauled the vessel out half a point. A few minutes later the ship struck about a quarter of a mile off the point of reef. He put out to seaward half a mile, and found water in the hold. He then steered a course for Suva, but as the water was increasing he beached the vessel at Naitonitoni. The forward part of the vessel was in clear water where she struck. He wag quite sure there was an error in the compass. After the vessel struck the firemen left the stokehold, but the engineer induced his juniors to keep lhe ship .going until she was beached, the Fiji trimmers standing by. The water was running out of the reserve bunkers and rushing into the stokehole! when the firemen "got the wind up."’ The board found that the Atua struck an uncharted coral head, and that the master exercised sound judgment in beaching the vessel. A court of inquiry followed on June 10. and corroborated tho finding of the Marine Board. The court also found that the master had no reason to believe that there was danger a quarter of a mile off the reef, and there had been no default or wilful neglect; but. on the contrary, the exercise of ordinary prudence and skill and reasonable foresight. It commended the captain for beaching the steamer, as darkness was approaching.