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Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19989, 4 November 1927, Page 7

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FERRY FOUNDERS Twelve D-owned in Sydney Harbour Tragedy TAHITI IN COLLISION HEROIC ATTEMPTS AT RESCUE. Telegraph—Per Press Assn.—Copy rich*..) Received November 4, 1 a.m. SYDNEY. Nov. 3. When the steamer Tahiti which left at four o’clock this afternoon for Wellington and San Francisco, was passing Bradley’s Head, in the harbour she ran dcwn the Watson Bay ferry steamer Greycliffe. The latter foundered in a few minutes and the passengers were thrown into the water. The Tahiti stood by and lowered boats while other ferries Ind launches raced to the scene of the disaster, where the passengers were Feen clinging to pieces of wreckage and helping others to climb on to these frail supports. The Greycliffe was rounding Bradley's Head when she came into collirion with the Tahiti, which appeared to roll the ferry over, the latter sinking in three minutes. As the victims were picked up, they were rushed to the Man o’ War Steps, where efforts at resuscitation were made. There were many heroic attempts at rescue, naval men and civilians diving from launches in an endeavour to save sinking men, women and children. Numbers of passengers were seriously injured, when the Tahiti struck the ferry, bv flying timber, the Grey eliffe being cut right down to the water line. Many of those brought to the steps by the rescuing launches were in such condition that they could not be put in ambulances. So far no actual announcement has been made of the number killed and injured, but it is known that at least 12 were drowned, while the list of injured will be very heavy. News of the disaster soon spread through the city and enormous crowds congregated, waiting for the rescue parties to return.

LOST FERRY HAD MANY CHILDREN ABOARD PATHETIC SCENES AS PARENTS GATHER AT QUAY Received Nov. 4, 1.10 a.m. JA. & N.Z.) SYDNEY, Nov. 3. Four of the ferry victims so far dentified are Mrs Mabel Carroll, Marjory Giraud (a schoolgirl), Henry Thompson, and J. T. Treadgold, all of Vaucluse. There are live other unidentified bodies, all of women, at the morgue. t The delay in identification was caused by lack of knowledge on the part of relations, who, until several hours had elapsed, heard nothing of the disaster. Great numbers of children were aboard the Greycliffe, returning from school, and pathetic scenes were witnessed when parents, learning of the disaster, rushed to the quay where the survivors and victims weie being landed. One survivor stated that the ferry was passing Garden Island when those on board saw the Tahiti come up astern. Then she crashed into the Greycliffe’s stern and the ferry sank immediately, the water being thick with struggling people, some of whom were badly cut. Many of the deaths were due to injuries received when the collision occurred.

An eye-witness from another ferry states that the Greycliffe seemed to cut right in front of the Tahiti, which was travelling at about eight knots. Immediately there was a crash and the Greycliffe disappeared by the nose. The first impact was so severe that survivors state it was impossible that anvone on the Greycliffe escaped injury.. The Tahiti, with Archbishop Redwood and the New Zealand cricketers aboard, finally cleared the heads at tight o’clock to-night.