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| History | |
|---|---|
 New Zealand | |
| Name | Puriri |
| Builder | Henry Robb Ltd.,Leith, Scotland |
| Yard number | 273[1] |
| Launched | 25 October 1938[1] |
| Commissioned | 19 April 1941 |
| Identification | Pennant number: T02 |
| Fate | Sunk by a mine, 14 May 1941 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 57.4 m (188 ft 4 in) |
| Beam | 10.7 m (35 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion | Diesel engines, 740 bhp (550 kW), two shafts |
| Speed | 8.5 to 10 knots (15.7 to 18.5 km/h; 9.8 to 11.5 mph) |
| Complement | 32 |
| Armament |
|
HMNZSPuriri (T02) was a coastal cargo ship which was requisitioned by theRoyal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and converted into aminesweeper. She was sunk by a Germannaval mine 25 days after she wascommissioned.
Puriri was owned by theAnchor Shipping and Foundry Company. She was one of four ships requisitioned as a consequence of theOrion'sminefield and the loss of theocean linerNiagara, the others beingMatai,Gale andRata.Puriri was taken over on 20 November 1940 and handed to the dockyard for conversion.
On 27 November 1940,Puriri put to sea urgently to assist thecruiserHMNZS Achilles in the search for the raidersOrion andKomet, which had sunk the linerRangitane. She returned to port three days later and resumed conversion.
She wascommissioned on 19 April 1941, and assigned to the25th Minesweeping Flotilla, which was assigned to sweep German mines in theHauraki Gulf.
On 13 May 1941, the launchRawea attached a buoy to a German mine that had been caught in a fishing net eight miles (13 km) north-east ofBream Head.[2]Puriri andGale were sent to deactivate it, and arrived in the area the next day.Gale sailed past the mine without seeing it, butPuriri, also not seeing the mine, struck it at 11 am. The explosion caused the ship to immediately sink at35°46′15″S174°43′00″E / 35.77083°S 174.71667°E /-35.77083; 174.71667 and now lies at a depth of 98 metres (322 ft).[3] Of the 31 aboard, five were killed or drowned, and three seamen were injured, one seriously.Gale rescued the 26 survivors.[4]
The cargo boatBreeze was requisitioned as a replacement forPuriri.
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in May 1941 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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