FIGHT TO SAVE FREIGHTER

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26628, 14 January 1952, Page 3

FIGHT TO SAVE FREIGHTER

Captain Carlsen’s Account

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, January 11. Captain H. K. Carlsen said to-day that the worst moment of his 13-day ordeal at sea came ‘when he saw his ship, the Flying Enterprise, disappear below the sea.

“It really hurt my pride tremendously,” he said. Captain Carlsen to-day gave a press conference at Falmouth an account of his battle to save the crippled ship. Earlier he and Mr Kenneth Dancy, mate of the tug Turmoil, who had kept him company aboard the Flying Enterprise for a week before the ship sank, were given a tremendous welcome when they came ashore from the United States destroyer Willard Keith.

A guard of honour from the destroyer Willard Keith stood by as the men walked with robed officials from the flag-decked pier to the town hall for the press conference. The police struggled to stop the huge crowds breaking the cordon as they fought to catch a sight of Captain Carlsen and Mr Dancy. As Captain Carlsen spoke at the press conference word came through that Lloyds had awarded him its silver award for meritorious services. Asked what made him stand by his ship, Captain- Carlsen said: ‘‘l looked over the situation when all the passengers and crew were gone, and I thought that with a little good luck I could manage to bring her into port. I could see that she could stay afloat for some time. I felt it my duty to the owners and those who had insured the ship and cargo to make every effort. <

“No Idea of Salvage Claim” Captain Carlsen denied that a fortune awaited him if he had got the ship safely to port. “The master of a ship cannot claim salvage on his own vessel,” he said. “I had no such idea in mind. I should not expect anything like that. I do not want to make two men’s honest efforts to .save the ship in any way commercialised.” Captain Carlsen said that in the first week of his lone vigil the only thing that kept him alive was a cake. "1 think it was one the cook prepared for the New Year celebrations,” he added. The cake diet of the first week was relieved when the escorting destroyer began transferring food by line. “After the destroyer came alongside we even had chicken. I had some beer, and later we found some soup.” Captain Carlsen said that when Mr Dancy clambered aboard .from the Turmoil and said: “Shake /hands,” it was a tremendous boost to nis morale.

“Mr Dancy was a tremendous relief in helping with the work. We had long chats together and spent a lot of time looking after the ship.” Describing their existence aboard the Flying Enterprise Captain Carlsen said: ‘Tt was extremely dangerous to sleep around the deck because oi the possibility of slipping into the sea. The motion of the ship aid not disturb us, but it was extremely difficult to walk around. We limited work on deck to day time.” Asked what really beat thenq in the end, Captain Carlsen replied: “The gale of these last two days. It was too much for us. It almost broke my heart when the towline went.”

Decision to Leave Ship Asked what moment he decided to leave the ship. Captain Carlsen said: “That was when the wheelhouse doors were blown out through the pressure of inrushing water and air. I was talking to the Willard Keith when it happened and decided that the time had come when it was necessary to leave the Flying Enterprise.”. When he and Mr Dancy jumped into the sea from the Flying Enterprise they swam hand-in-hand to the Turmoil, said Captain Carlsen. All he brought ashore with him was his wrist watch.

"I lost everything else and the wrist watch was full of water when I came ashore.” he said. “I kept a day-by-day log, but it went down with the ship. I had the ship’s papers and accounts in a watertight container, but they were lost too.” Captain Dan Parker of the tug Turmoil was asked how deep the Flying Enterprise was lying and what were the chances of bringing her up. He replied: “She is in about 40 fathoms of water and there is no chance of getting her up.” Captain Parker said that had there been two tugs engaged in bringing the ship in he thought they would have got in each other’s way. . A ticker-tape reception—New ’York City’s traditional welcome for heroes —will be given Captain Carlsen. There will be a parade up Lower Broadway to the City Hall, preceded by a harbour welcome of whistle-blowing ships and tugs, and fireboats playing streams of water into the air. The date of Captain Carlsen’s return to New York has not been announced. SEAMEN REJECT BIG OFFERS .

Captain Carlsen And Mr Dancy Besieged

LONDON, January 11. Captain H. K. Carlsen, master of the Flying Enterprise, and Mr K. Dancy, mate of the tug Turmoil, have -been besieged with huge monetary offers from various firms wanting to cash in on the publicity given the attempt to save the Flying Enterprise. Captain Carlsen said to-night that he had already received offers totalling £70,000. “I have refused them all. I do not want them.” he said. Offers have been made for rights in news stories, film stories, and magazine features. -

The agent of one London impressario wanting to act as Captain Carlsen’s agent for a number of publicity stunts, had a contract written out which would guarantee Captain Carlsen £40.000 for the first year, but he said to-night: “I just can’t get anywhere.”

Some firms’ representatives posed as newspapermen to get through the police cordon when the two men landed at Falmouth, but when they tried to hand Captain Carlsen gifts of their firms’ products—making sure the cameramen were handy—Captain Carlsen pushed them away. Gifts of radios, watches, refrigerators, and even clothes were ignored Mr Dancy rejected a £lOOO offer from a newspaper for his story.