FAMILY TRAGEDY

Southland Times, Issue 19335, 29 August 1924, Page 5

FAMILY TRAGEDY

SAD OCCURRENCE AT SYDNEY

FATAL FERRY SMASH FOUR GENERATIONS REPRESENTED. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, August 28. (Received August 28, 8 p.m.) A serious harbour accident occurred at noon to-day. The ferry steamer Kareela was leaving Circular Quay when it bumped into the end of the Peninsula Company’s wharf, rhe accident being due, it is supposed, to defective steering gear. A woman named Mrs Brown was killed outright and four other people injured. So heavy was the impact that the steamer cut right into the wharf, smashing the saloon and fittings on the deck, where a number of passengers—luckily, not many—were.

Mrs Brown was almost decapitated. The wounded were jammed among the debris. Other passengers climbed on to the wharf, or were taken off by ferry steamers which came on the scene immediately. So tightly was the Kareela imbedded in the wharf that three tugs were required to drag her free. The whole forepart of the steamer above the hull, up to the wheel-house was smashed and collapsed. The hull was not much damaged. Later information states that all the victims were a family party representing four generations. Mrs Brown, the greatgrandmother, is dead. Her daughter and grand-daughter have fractured limbs, and the latter’s infant daughter a fractured skull.