TUG DAMAGED IN COLLISION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19268, 3 January 1931, Page 6

TUG DAMAGED IN COLLISION.

ACCIDENT HAPPENS AS SCOW LEAVES BERTH. (Special to the "Star.”) WELLINGTON, January 3. When attempting to sail out from her berth at Queen’s wharf yesterday afternoon, the auxiliary screw scow Echo collided with the Wellington Harbour Board’s tug Toia, which was lying inside the northern outer “T” of Queen’s wharf. The scow escaped damage, but her jib boom tore a fairly large hole in the side of the Toia and partially wrecked two cabins. The scene inside the forecastle head of the Toia was a strange one. The heavy jib boom had pierced the quarter-inch steel plate, tearing an oblong hole about two feet wide and even more in depth in the second engineer’s cabin. The jagged edges of the plating were curled inboard and the jib boom had entered for a length of eight or nine feet, splintering and crushing much woodwork, including a forward living cabin and the wall separating it from a cabin on the starboard side of the tug. One of the tug’s frames was badly bent and a number of rivets in the plating were started close up to the deck of the forecastle head. A waterpipe was also broken, causing partial flooding of the flooring of the cabins. The Echo remained locked in her unfortunate position while lines were run out aft, and with these, and the assistance of her working engine, she was hauled clear. A temporary patch has been placed over the hole in the Toia, which was some feet above the waterline. Permanent repairs will be carried out later.