BELIEVED S.O.S. HOAX FROM SINKING SHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 182, 4 August 1939, Page 7

BELIEVED S.O.S. HOAX FROM SINKING SHIP.

REPORTED ON FIRE.

Vessel Bearing Name Given

Is At Rotterdam.

VAIN SEARCH BY AMERICANS

United Press Association.— Copyright.

(Received 12 noon.)

, August 3. j What was purported to bo a fire ' in the British freighter Dnnkwa was! reported (his morning*. ) It was reported that the crow had • taken tn tW l»>at> and that the ship j was expected tn sink within an hour. I A message added that all 'AH on hoard were sat'.', except tin- radio operator. ' Four ships iniini'iliati'lv liegan a search.! The mate of the ship flashed an S.O.S. ] last night anil said the wireless opera-, tor's legs had heen hroken. Subsequent messages were incoherent owing to thei sender's inexperience. .Messages of four; different positions were given. ! Doubt as to the vessel's identity was! raised as Lloyd's report that the Dnnkwa is at Rotterdam. \ A ship anil 'plane, reaching the l Dunkwa's last given position, reported that they had failed to sight cither thei freighter or her crew. Coastguard officials expressed the belief that the distress signals were probably a hoax,! perpetrated by some amateur, since ' several discrepancies appeared in various j messages from the vessel, particularly | also since Lloyd's confirmed that the ! Dunkwa is at present at Rotterdam. I

JACKSONVILLE (Fla.)