STEAMER WRECKED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17080, 8 July 1926, Page 7

STEAMER WRECKED.

ASHORE OX NORTH REEF, 200 PASSENGERS ON BOARP, (Eloc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.' SYDNEY, July 7. A wireless received late to-night states that the steamer Cooma, with two hundred passengers aboard, bound for Cairns from Sydney, ran ashore on North Reef, off the Queensland coast, north of Brisbane, a desolate spot one and a half miles in diameter, in dirty weather. At 6.30 p.m. to-night a radioed S.O.S. was picked up by two island steamers and a cargo steamer, which expect, to reach her to-night, and save the passengers. There is no immediate danger, although the ship is making water. BROADCAST MESSAGES. VESSEL BUMPING HEAVILY. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. Tiie secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department has received the following messages broadcast from Sydney : At 7.47 p.m.: “5.0.5., steamer Cooma ashore North Reef. The vessel is in communication with the Australian stations.” At 8.57 p.m.: “The Ccomn advised the Townsville Vadio she is,in danger. The ship is bumping heavily, and she wants assistance as soon as possible.” At 10.45 p.m.: “S.S. Cooma (V.J.E.) reports position of wreck as being alongside tho lighthouse on North Reef. The weather is fine. An unidentified rescue ship is expected at 10.30 p.m. (Australian time), when the passengers will be landed. There is no immediate danger. The vessel is making little water.” Tho Cooma. is a steamer of 3839 tons register, built in Glasgow in 1907 for Howard Smith and Company* and for c’.ase on twenty years has been a favorite passenger liner on the Australian coast, trading 'between Melbourne and Cairns. Her dimensions are: Length 330 ft., breadth 46ft,, depth 21ft, _ The steamer was commanded by Captain G. O. Maine. During the latter’s absence on holiday Last year, the Cooma was in collision with another \essel off Melbourne Heads, and a short time previously was run into by another vessel, whilst,* at her berth at Brisbane, sustaining considerable damage on each occasion.