DOLPHIN TRAGEDY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 243, 14 October 1939, Page 8

DOLPHIN TRAGEDY

NO RESCUE ATTEMPT? SURVIVOR'S ALLEGATION LAUNCH SANK IN FEW MINUTES COURT OF INQUIRY BEGINS I Ter Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. Oct. 13. William Willman, a survivor of the Dolpin tragedy, was left struggling in the water, dazed and battered, when the vessel sank underneath him in Lyttelton Harbour yesterday afternoon after being sunk by gun-iire. “No effort was made by the men at the shore battery to rescue me,” he said to-day. "The boats were available at the fort and had one been launched immediately it could have reached the Dolphin before she sank. Mr. Brassell was unconscious from shock and loss of b*jod. but I believe his li/e might have been saved had a rescue boat put out.” Two eye-witnesses of the tragedy who watched the Dolphin sink, said she went down in an incredibly short time. The shell, they said, struck the Dolphin just forward of her engineroom. They heai ’ an explosion and almost at once the big launch began to settle. According to their estimate she sank within three or four minutes. The Court of Inquiry began its sittings to-day. The length of time the Court will sit is indefinite, depending on the amount of evidence to be heard and taken down. Sittings Private. The Office Commanding the Southern Military District (Colonel P. Bell) answered questions relating to the Dolphin incident. “Is the investigating body a Court of Inquiry or a Board of Inquiry ?” — A Court of Inquiry.” “Are its sittin- i public or private and open to newspapers?”—"Private.” “To whom will the Court report?” —“To me.” “Does the Army or the Navy assume responsibility for the fort?’—‘The Army.” “Who ordered the shot to be fired?’ —"lt is not advisable to say at present.” "Has the officer commanding the fort or the officer who ordered the shot to be fired been relieved of his duties pending the inquiry?”—“No.” “What efforts were made to save the crew when it was seen that the Dolphin was sinking?”—“Every effort.” “Have alterations been made in the orders at the fort since the accident?” —“Yes.” "Is any record kept of fishing-boats going out so that they can be checked in?” —“This is a question for the Court.” "Where was thn examination vessel at the time?”—“That is also a question for the Court.’ “What is the procedure to be followed by a craft when the examination vessel is away?”—“Another question for the Court.” "What will be the position of pleasure craft during the summer?”— “The same as any other craft." The Military Court was private but Lyttelton Harbour Board officials were present. Mr. T. Martin. Lyttelton agent for the New Zealand Seamen’s Federation, of which the fishermen are now members, also was present and was permitted to question j witnesses. Before concluding, the Court adjourned to the home of W. Willman, the survivor of the tragedy, and obtained his evidence. This afternoon the Harbour Board’s diver. J. Canning, went down and searched the Dolphin for Brasell’s body. After a search lasting about an hour, he reported that the body was not in the launch and apparently had been washed out of the engine room after the Dolphin sank. At low tide to-day the tops of the Dolphin’s masts were just visible about 209 yards from th? shore.