"THREE MEN IN A BOAT.”

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 68

"THREE MEN IN A BOAT.”

PICKED UP BY NIAGARA. AUCKLAND, February 23. When the Niagara was some hours out from Auckland on her voyage to Sydney she picked up three men who were adrift in a Launch. Tho men are being taken on to Sydney. The launch has been abandoned. It was the Ika, registered as a fishing boat at Auckland, and was fishing off Tiri, when it broke down on Sunday night. The names of the men are:—J, Buchan, Norman Blackbury, and Cyril Ledger. FISHING LAUNCH ADRIFT. WELLINGTON, February 22 The following message was broadcast by the s.s. Niagara at 9.41 p.m. to-day: — ‘Fishing Launch Ika drifting; position at 8.30 p.m., 35.44 S.. 174.51 E„ 202dcg. 10 miles from Marotiri; will probably drift E.N.E. about mile per hour. Dangerous to navigation.”

THRILLING STORY OF THE SEA. AUCKLAND, February 29. Further details of the picking up of the men are contained in a radio message published in the Star from Mr R. H. Gordon, who says:— The passengers had just finished dinner, when someone called out: “We are turning round to pick up a boat in distress.” Immediately all was excitement, and the rails were lined with people, many in evening dress, ready for the dance that was to be held later. A strong breeze was blowing from the south-west, and a rather nasty sea was running. Amid the dark waters could be seen a lurid flare every few seconds. Slowly the liner swung round and headed for the signal of distress. A smart bit of seamanship by Captain Hill brought the big ship within a few yards of what proved to be a fishing launch, tossing helplessly about in the trough of the fairly heavy sea that was running.

It was 7.55 p.m. when the second officer (Mr R. N. Turner) sent a note down from the bridge, stating that signals of distress were observed, and by 8.15 p.m. the ship was alongside. The occupants of the launch, who could dimly be seen in the gathering dark, cried out that their engine was disabled, and that they had lost their sails, and the launch was unmanageable. A lifeboat in charge of the chief officer, Mr M'Donald, with seven men, was rapidly lowered, and quickly reached the tossing derelict—as smart a bit of boat work as one could hope to see. There were three men in the doomed launch. One of them seemed disinclined to leave. “ Jump for it,” said Mr M'Donald, who saw that the case was hopeless. The fishermen then abandoned the launch, grabbing a few odds and ends of clothing. Within 15 minutes of being launched the lifeboat was alongside the Niagara again, and the three weary-looking figures clambered up the rope ladder. The passengers who had been running from side to side following the rescue loudly cheered the rescuers and rescued.

It was a hard plight for the men. All their savings and years of work had to be abandoned. There was no chance of salving the launch, which was practically a new boat, worth about £lOOO, and was insured for only £375. “ I’ve been to sea all my life,” said Mr Buchan, “ and that was the first time I started to think of danger.” “ Once I saw that we were past the Hen and Chickens light,” added Ledger, “ I thought it was all over.” Battered by heavy seas the launch strained, and began to leak. The men had no sleep, bailing continuously. Luckily they had plenty of food. Although in the middle of the gulf they never saw any vessel until yesterday morning, when a steamer passed about a mile off. People could be seen on her bridge. The drifting fishermen made frantic efforts to attract attention, but the steamer, whose name is unknown to them, passed out of sight. Things looked desperate. Then, at dusk, they saw the Niagara come up with her blaze of lights. Buchan burned benzine flames, and joyfully they saw help coming towards them.

Oddly, this is the second occasion within eight weeks in which the Niagara and Captain Hill have been concerned in rescues. On her last voyage south, when 300 miles from Honolulu, they picked up the crew of the burning schooner Doris Crane. On that occasion it was Mr Turner who also picked up signals of distress. Captain Hill says that with the wind blowing from the quarter it was the fishing launch would have inevitably drifted to sea, passing outside the Poor Knights. Captain Hill told the men that he keenly sympathised with them ; but it was impossible to salve the launch.

The Niagara’s passengers were deeply touched by the incident of the rescue, and a subscription list was immediately started for the shipwrecked crew.