Page 26 - Insurance Times December 2023

although it had no harbour or beach shelving enough to run became obvious that she must sink within the next few
the ship ashore, was at least inhabited. The course was hours.
altered to 280° and speed increased as much as the weather
would allow. At 2200 hrs, the Cumberland’s second At noon, all crew members were mustered on the boat deck
engineer, accompanied by a cadet, made his way up the wearing lifejackets, as they had done so often at their
foredeck, which was now dry, to inspect the forward holds. regular boat drills. At 1320 hrs, Capt. Kaisar instructed the
Hold no. 3 still appeared to be dry, but in holds nos. 1 and 2 Radio Officer to contact Pitcairn and pass the following
the water had risen to within about 3 feet or so, unto the message to the ship’s managers, Anglo Eastern
top platform of the ladder. It was the Second Engineer’s Management Services in Hong Kong: NO IMPROVEMENT IN
opinion that either the bulkhead between the holds was DRAUGHT PUMPING OUT CONTINUOUSLY SHIPPING MORE
breached, or the ship’s hull was holed in both holds. SEAS ON FOCSLE: FOCSLE REMAINING UNDER WATER FOR
LONG PERIOD CONTINUING TOWARDS PITCAIRN ISL. SHIP
Whatever had transpired, it was plain that the pumps were POSITION 12TH 2100 HRS GMT (1300 HRS SMT) 23° 40‚–S
losing the battle with the sea. A further inspection of the 127° 29‚–W SPEED 11.4 KNOTS COURSE 242° ON WAY
holds was made at 2300 hrs, this time by the Chief Officer PASSING HENDERSON ISLAND 13TH 0200 HRS GMT (12TH
and a cadet. They found the water level in both Nos. 1 and 1800 HRS SMT) WHERE MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT ANCHOR
2 holds had risen to another two feet. The message could DEPENDING ON SITUATION. SITUATION. IN CASE
not have been clearer–the Cumberland was slowly sinking. SITUATION WORSE MIGHT HAVE TO ABANDON VESSEL.
Curiously enough, it was not until 0221 hrs on June 12th, CONTACT WITH PITCAIRN RADIO UNABLE CONTACT
more than three hours later, that the captain decided to SYDNEY RADIO.
inform the outside world of his plight, and this he did not do
so with any sense of urgency. The Cumberlande was heavily down by the head with the
sea washing over her foredeck, and her time was fast
In an AMVER (Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue) running out. It was only an hour and a half later Pitcarin’s
message sent to the US Coast Guard Station on Hawaii, via Radio Operator, listening on 2182 kHz, picked up the
Sydney Radio, he gave the Cumberland’s position, and Cumberlande’s Mayday, which was also repeated at 1522
mentioned–almost as an afterthought–that two of his holds on 500 kHz, the W/T distress frequency. Meanwhile, on
were flooded. At daylight on June 12th, when the Chief board the sinking bulk carrier, the engine room had been
Officer again checked the forward holds, he found the water evacuated and the main engine and all auxiliaries shut down
was now over the top platform of the ladder in Nos. 1 and by remote control from the deck. At 1524 hrs, the Captain,
2. These holds were in fact all full. Again, there was no sign judging the end to be near, gave the order to abandon ship.
of water in No. 3 hold, and the forepeak tank, immediately The only man to suffer any real discomfort was the Second
forward of No. 1, was also dry. A glance over the side showed Officer, who was left behind, having gone to the bridge to
the waves to be lapping just 3 feet below the main deck collect the deck log book and a chart of the area. When he
bulwarks. By this time, the wind had dropped away to no returned to the boat deck, both boats had moved clear of
more than a moderate breeze, with a slight sea running, the ship’s side to avoid damage by the swell. With the log
but the ship now had so little freeboard the seas were book and chart tied to his body, the unfortunate officer was
lapping over the bulwarks onto the deck. By 0900 hrs, the clinging to a ladder, waiting for one of the boats to come in
Cumberland’s forecastle head was awash. It was only then and pick him up, when the Cumberland, her bulkheads
that the captain decided to call Sydney asking for assistance. collapsing with the weight of water in her holds, began to
slide under. He was obliged to jump into the sea to save
An hour later, the captain mustered his crew and advised himself, losing both log book and chart in the progress of
them of the situation, for the first time mentioning the
swimming clear off the sinking ship. He was picked up by
possibility of abandoning ship. Anxious to avoid panic, he No. 2 lifeboat, by which time the Cumberland had sunk. Only
assured his men that help was at hand from Pitcairn, the seven minutes had elapsed from the time the order was
Radio Officer being in constant touch with the island. He given to abandon ship.
did not, however, tell them that Pitcairn had no rescue
services. Both lifeboats were then lowered to the During this, ashore on Pitcairn’s Radio Operator had passed
embarkation deck and stocked with extra provisions, fuel, the Cumberlande’s Mayday to the US Coast Guard on
pyrotechnics and blankets. Throughout that morning, the Hawaii. The Coast Guard immediately initiated a search and
Cumberland’s freeboard continued to decrease, and it rescue operation. The French Air Base on Tahiti was

24 December 2023 The Insurance Times