Master And Chief Officer III When Schooner Struck Reef

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 December 1947, Page 8

Master And Chief Officer III When Schooner Struck Reef

Auckland, Dec. 23. The master of the French schooner Oiseau des lies (Captain Andre Fraud), also the vessel’s chief officer, were confined to their cabins with influenza when the schooner struck a reef at Mopelia, .300 miles west ol Tahiti, in June. Some members of the crew were also suffering from influenza when the mishap occurred, ana the vessel was commanded by the chief Engineer. Details of the incident were given to-day by Captain Praud, following the arrival of the schooner for a refit here. The vessel’s plates are badly strained and the refit will probably take about a month to complete. The Oiseau des Iles was carrying 150 island workers Irom Rarotonga to the French phosphate island of Makatea and the vessel was forced aground on a reef by a storm when three days out. She was well off her course, there being no opportunity ol taking navigation sights, because of the weather. Fortunately, the heavy wind which pressed the schooner on the reef changed to the north, and the vessel was floated off. Pumping equipment was used from another schooner which had been sent from Tahiti and which took aboard passengers who had been taken ashore from the Oiseau des Iles for safety. The damaged schooner was then escorted by the other vessel to Tahiti, where it was temporarily repaired, after which it made the voyage in ballast to Auckland, where it will enter dry dock.