ON A BARREN ROCK

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 28, 14 November 1935, Page 6

ON A BARREN ROCK

'RESCUE AFTER FOUR DAYS. 49 SURVIVORS OF A WR-ECK. (United Press Association—Copyright) MANILA, November 13. Working in the teeth of an advancing typhoon, rescuers from the American destroyer Peary have been making desperate efforts to remove 49 persons, the passengers and crew of the British freighter, Silver Hazel, which broke in two and foundered off the southern tip of the island of Luzon on Saturday, throwing passengers and crew on to a small, barren rock-near San Bernardino Island. ~ Radio reports to-day said that two castaways, including one woman, have lost their lives, and two are missing. The remainder have apparently been rescued by the American destroyers {Peary and the Blumer. O'ne message said that all but four had been rescued. This is interpreted to mean that these four are those who were killed or are missing. Earlier messages told how, at the risk of their lives, three Hindu sailors reached the Peary on a raft. They said that the five passengers, including four womenJ and members of the creW‘ were suffering extreme hardships; through lack of food and water, and? were in constant danger of being swept to death by the high seas. Several ships were standin by, and ; their crews attempted to reach, the rack 3 with lifeboats, buttreacherous currents iprcvented them from getting nearer than 1500 yards. The destroyer Blumer raced to the scene, and the. military command at Manila dispatched two large bombers with supplies. The last message before the fragmentary reports of the rescue said that if the Blumer arrived before the. full force of the typhoon struck the castaways she might be able to rescue them, as she was equipped with a liner throwing apparatus.