Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954), Tuesday 2 April 1929, page 5


WHAT SANK SEL JE?

STEAMERS COLLIDE.

A TERRIFIC IMPACT.

MELBOURNE. March 31.

Graphic accounts^ of the. colli-sion between the steamer Kaituna and the freighter Selje, as a result pf which ^,the Selje foundered within 25 rnÜes of Cape Otway, on Friday night, were given by the rescued crew, when the Kaituna, with her bows badly bantered, reached Melbourne "on Saturday night.

Only by the exercise of splen-did seamanship, aided by good fortune, was the Sélje crew rescu-

ed.

ADVENTURES.

The main, incidents of the rescue were the swamping of the Selje's lifeboat, as the crew reached the Kaituda's side, the leaping over-board'Of the Mäster'àhd the'wire-less operator, while the Sélje set-tled beneath them, and the thrill-ing rescue of the captain's wife.'

IMMENSE LOSS.

The Selje carried 114,000 bags of wheat, insured for ¡£75,000:

The cause of the collision, is un-known. Visibility is stated to have been good, and there was a moderate swell. The two steamers collided at

ten o'clock on Friday night. The sea

was calmer than it had been in the

vicinity during several days.

ON THE BRIDGE.

The . two. captains . were oh the; bridges. When |he collision appeared' 'imminent the order was' given by Capr tain Sizer from the Kaituna's .bridge, for "full speed astern" and .the, .engines were reversed for several minutes be-fore the collision.

A SPINNING BLOW.

With a grinding crash, the bows; pf the Kaituna struck the Selje on the port side, just aft of .amidships. Re-

versing her engines carried .her astern ' immediately after the impäct and a gaping hole was., left in the Selje's, side. The steel plates were crushed inwards for eight- or ten feet.

The water poured into the wheat laden holds, arid the Selje listed heavily to port, and wh'le the crew ?rushed from below On to the slanting, decks she began to settlé'in. the swell.'

FOLLY OF PANIC.

. I ?!

Desperate efforts werë made to j lower the tioats of which there were | two, in addition to the Captain's

motor launch. The falls of the star-board boat had been, cut in the excite-ment, and-it was found impossible td' launch, it. The port boat was launch-, ed, however, and the 'men rowed deseparately towards, the Kaitpnâ, which' had drifted , nearly half a: mile away. Before they reached her side, the life-boat was half. full of .[water, and théj boat sank 'just as they were taken'

aboard the Kaituna.. 1 I