MAHENO’S END

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18764, 22 July 1935, Page 11

MAHENO’S END

WARTIME STRANDING SUEZ CANAL INCIDENT The Malieno, which has come to a “watery grave” ill breaking up on an Australian beach, at- a previous stranding came near In sudden annihilation. This was revealed to the Dunedin Star by a. member of tho ship's medical staff ninv resident in Dunedin.

In the middle of 1917 the Now Zealand. hospital ship, the Maliono, had at Loin bay embarked it full contingent, of African casualties and was proceeding on one of several such trips under lull steam through the Suez Canal. It was six bells and dark, with that intense darkness experienced only ui the tropics. The custom for ships navigating this canal at night, was to cany a powerful searchlight at the prow, the Mahcno being so equipped. The pilot, however, according to the informant’s opinion, appeared to have, been quite unused Lo turbine-propelled ships. He seemingly misjudged first, the weight of the vessel, and second the propelling power of her turbines. The Mahcno failed to navigate a sharp bend and proceeded to mount the bank. She was not fast, however, and a reversing of the turbines released her. Unfortunately she. immediately gathered considerable way, struck the opposite bank with her stern and rebounded forward, again assisted by her turbines, and became fast, with prow high and dry, stern in deep water. MUCH WATER, SHIPPED Giving his impressions of this moment, the informant states that three very severe, jars were telt at his station in the staff quarters, situated low in the ship. The vessel immediately took on a sharp list, and tho open ports in these quarters shipped considerable quantities of water which resulted in many hours of baling for all tho staff. - The predicament was serious. All traffic both ways was completely obstructed, and in getting off the Mahcno experienced a very narrow escape from destruction. Her subsequent long nhd useful life would have, been considerably shortened had the project immediately to destroy her by explosives been carried out.

However, by means of her. own power, together with the aid nl the Goliath, then the most powerful tug in the world, n smaller tug, and assistance from both shores, she was refloated alter a whole hour’s operations and after having licr-n slruudid for more than 18 hours in the canal. Incidentally, on the return journey slit- suffered further .misfortune, in that her tail shall seized, ami it became necessary to tow the vessel to the nearest port.