Mangola Off Reef

From a Special Correspondent CHE Burns Philp freighter Man gola, which went aground on a reef off Kar Kar Island (near [adang, NG) at 1 a.m. on Feb jary 8, was pulled off by the BP ictor vessel Malaita on February 3. Damage to the Mangola was aparently slight and she continued er voyage.

Mangola was travelling from anus Is. to Madang through Twelve Cile Passage when, in a tropical awnpour, she struck the reef. She as assisted in the early stages by

le tug Tarra and the BP motor sssel Bulolo, which arrived on 9th. etween 9th and 13th, when she ft, Bulolo made several unsuc issful attempts to pull Mangola f. Malaita arrived on the scene i 12th and took over from Bulolo. [angola had been carrying 1,400 ms of copra plus general cargo, id an attempt was made to lighten ?r by shifting some of this to the alaita. A considerable amount of ipra was also jettisoned from angola.

On February 14, Malaita was successful in moving M angola’s bows 40 degrees, but two attempts at towing her off the reef snapped the tow. At about 9.30 a.m. on February 15, when the tide was at its highest peak, and when Malaita, which had again taken up the tow lines, was shortening the distance between the two ships, Mangola slid off the reef and, momentarily uncontrolled, looked like running onto another reef. The situation was saved by Captain Harry McNaughton in the small motor vessel Jocey, who was able to take up the Mangola’s heavy lines and head her towards the open sea.

Full credit for saving Mangola

from the reef must go to Captain B. Hilder, of Malaita, and Captain McNaughton, of Jocey, and their officers and crew, who worked hard and long in conditions which were not good and were often danger ous.

TOP: The “Mangola " lying on the ef, with Kar Kar in background. The Bulolo” on the right, with a hawser st to stranded ship. Photo taken y Vernon Wheatley) from “Malaita” eft foreground).

BOTTOM: The “Mangola,” a minute ter she slid off the reef, after pull by Malaita,” to which hawser is still tached.