Phosphate Ship Aground

on Mopihaa

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, June 14.

THE three-masted auxiliary schooner “Oiseau des lies,” owned by the Companies Francaise des Phosphates de I’Oceanie, Makatea. struck the western reef of Mopiha’a 270 miles west of Tahiti, at about 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 8. It was on its way to Makatea with 139 labour recruits from Rarotonga, which it left on June 6.

During the week the “Oiseau des lies” was anchored off Avarua, discharging re turning labourers and recruiting a new contingent, heavy wind and rain had made working conditions difficult. The night before departure, the anchor cable parted and the vessel cruised off and on during the remainder of the embarking operations. The weather was still bad when she left.

Mopiha’a reported that the vessel was fast on the reef, and had a list of 45 de grees, but there were no casualties and all passengers had been landed safely on the island. There was one woman passenger, Mrs. Horne, an elderly Ameri can, who had been in Rarotonga for some months on a leisurely Islands tour.

The steamer “Samkay” was ordered to proceed from Papeete to Mopiha’a, to give assistance. She took off all the passengers and carried them to Makatea.

At this date, the cause of the strand ing is not known here, nor the extent of the damage to the ship. The “Oiseau des lies” is a large, handsome vessel, well known in these waters. She was only recently returned to the Phosphate Company from Government service after a very thorough overhaul and refit.