TUG SINKS IN HARBOUR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 189, 12 August 1938, Page 10

TUG SINKS IN HARBOUR

STRUCK BY LINER’S PROPELLER M’SHAF AT AUCKLAND [ Ter Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Aug. 11. | The Auckland Harbour Board tug’ ! Tc Awahina, when assisting to berth the Federal Line motor-ship Essex at. 7 o'clock to-day at the Central ’ Wharf was struck by the Essex's pro-1 y |peller, which tore a hole in the tug’sl B port side below the waterline. It is not known how the accident ' happened. The Te Awahina apparently swung under the counter ot thei ' Esex and was struck by the propeller:' ■ and holed amidships on the port side. J It is stated that the Essex’s propeller ’ was moving very slcwly at the time.! ' Captain F. N. Wyett, ot the Essex,l and the pilot, Captain W. H. Kelsey,l 1 were not aware that the accident had 1 ; happened until the tug left the side of ’ the vessel and made for shallowi ' water. It was then seen that she was I sinking by the stern. ’ Sailors who were aft at the time' 1 said that the Essex was only about ; 20 feet from her berth when the tug was seen to swing under the stern. One of the Te Awahina's ventilators 1 was stove in where she hit the coun-« ' ter. Diver tn Examine Essex. It is not known whether the Essex suffered damage. A diver will be sent down and, if necessary, the vesj sei will probably be docked in Auckj land. < With the tug captain, until thn B time of the sinking, was a deckhand named Davis, who remained on board | when the remainder of the crew wax ; taken off by the launch. Davis stuck .bravely to his post on the deck watchling the towlines, even after the decks of the tug were half awash, leaving 'only when he was no longer able to hold on. The captain remained on deck until he was washed off. He was a heavy man and not a good swimmer. He and Davis were pioked up by the launch Ferro. The men suffered somewhat from the cold water. Harbour Board officials inspected the wreck and a diver was sent down and found that the tug, which. has a draft of 14 feet, was in 16 feet of mud, making it difficult to esti-l mate the damage. Immediate efforts' are to be made to bring the tug to! the surface.