VIOLENT GALES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 89, 16 April 1927, Page 9

VIOLENT GALES.

SHIPPING LOSSES.

Many Wrecks on Mediterranean

Coasts.

HEAVY TOLL EXPECTED. By Cable.—Tress Association. —CopyrlgQU MADRID, April 13. Violent pales are reported from Melilla, on the north const of Spanish Morocco. Numbers of vessels have been driven ashore or sunk in the Mediterranean. It was impossible to rescue the crews of the latter. A Greek steamer, the Nicolas Pateras, the crew of which is reported to have mutinied, is aground in a dangerous position. A hospital ship, the Cast ilia, is almost a complete wreck. Hundreds of fishing and other vessels have been lost with many lives. All traffic has been stopped in Melilla and tho business firms have closed their premises. The town is in darkness. The damage is estimated at more than £2,000,000. A message was received at Gibraltar saying: '"Can you ask the Navy to help save tho crew of the steamer Collingdale." This was sent by wireless by a Norwegian vessel, the Valto. which'was herself aground off Melilla. The admiral superintendent dispatched tho destroyer Viscount to tow the Gibraltar lifeboat to the Collingdale, but this was impossible owing to the heavy seas. The Viscount therefore proceeded alone. An airman in a seaplane succeeded in dropping a line to the C'ollingdale's crew, who, after difficulty, were enabled to leave the ship. A tempest of equal severity ra™ed at other Mediterranean ports and numbers of vessels were wrecked. A cyclone at Malaga, on the south coast of Spain, destroyed many houses. A peculiar reddish-coloured rain fell irr torrents. The customary Holy Week processions had to be abandoned.