A Little Luck Will Save Wanganella

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 January 1947, Page 5

A Little Luck Will Save Wanganella

SALVAGE PARTY IS VERY CONFIDENT (P.A.) 'Wellington, Jan. 29 “Things are going well. The organisation out there is firstclass. AH we want is just a little luck still, and the ship will be all right.” Thus stated the Minister of Marine (Mr. O'Brien) as he disembarked from the tug Kahanui at the Queen’s Wharf this evening after spending three hours on board the Wanganella on Barrett ’s Reef. The official (tarty with him, including Mr. D. Eadie (superintendent of the Huddart Parker Coy.), Mr. N. D. McLean (Wellington manager), manifested confidence. To-day, it was confidently hoped, was the Wanganellas’ last full day on the reef.

The crew and contractor s party pul the final touches to salvage preparations. The sealing of the two forward holds is completed, save the closing of the escape hatches. No. 3 hold to-day showed signs of having weakened ana cement has been used for strengthening. The director of salvage operations (Captain McDonald) descended a ladder on the port side and examined the formation of the rock under the bridge. In the afternoon, while work proceeded to its conclusion, the Minister of Marine, accompanied bv senior officers of the Huddart Parker Company, came on board. Mr. O’Brien

made an inspection of the equipment and done, and frequently expressed his approval of the task nearing completion. As the evening drew on the final apertures were closed and air compressors connected with turncocks on the sealed holds, and the first easy test was made of the sealed forepeak. LEDGES OF ROCK DIVER’S REPORT ON THE VESSEL’S RESTING PLACE (P.A.) Wellington, Jan. 29. An examination of the Wanganella and the reef on which it lies, by the expert diver from Australia (Mr. J. E. Johnstone), shows that the vessel’s bow is resting on a ledge of rock. Behind this is 16ft. of water until another ledge crosses the hull beneath the badly-damaged No. 1 hold. A third ledge is hard up against the bottom of No. 2 hold, once part of No. 3 hold. Though these reefs hold the vessel, the rock is crumbling under her weight. This weakness may prove a decisive factor, when, with buoyancy added to her forepeak, the next attempt to save the vessel is made to-day. In achieving the necessary buoyancy it is hoped to reduce, by compressed air, the level of water in No. 1 hold by 12ft., and by 7ft. in No. 2 hold. This would mean the removal of half the deadweight helping to hold the vessel to the reefs.