CANAL NOW CLEAR

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28249, 10 April 1957, Page 13

CANAL NOW CLEAR

Signal Given By U.N. Team

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) CAIRO, April 9. The Suez Canal was today clear for ships up to a maximum draught of 33 feet for the first time since the Egyptians blocked it during last November’s British and French attack.

The all clear signal, announced by the United Nations clearance team last night, followed the successful towing of the explosivesladen Egyptian frigate, Aboukir, from the southern end of the canal into the Great Bitter Lakes.

Today, a Russian floating dock, which had to await the Aboukir’s removal, will continue its journey through the canal to Suez.

The clearance of the Aboukir was two days ahead of the target date for the reopening of the canal, which was blocked by wrecks of sunken ships and destroyed bridges. Mr Hammarskjold, the United Nations Secretary-General, tonight cabled congratulations to the Suez Canal salvage team on the completion of its task. Authoritative sources said that the final cost of the operation would be between 12,000,000 dollars and 15,000,000 dollars —much less than expected. Earlier estimates had run as high as 40,000,000 dollars, and a supposedly conservative figure often quoted was 20,800,000 dollars.

But the sources told Reuter’s United Nations’ correspondent that the figure would be under 15,000,000 dollars “and nearer to 12,000,000 dollars.’’

The United Nations probably would publish the figures tomorrow.

“With the lifting of the Aboukir,’’ Mr Hammarskjold said in his cable to the salvage chief. Lieutenant-General Raymond Wheeler, “you have achieved the last major step in the United Nations responsibility for the clearance of the Suez Canal. “After this task, which has been done so magnificently with great expertness, efficiency and speed, you, your staff, the Dutch and Danish salvors and their sub-con-tractors have my heartiest congratulations. “My personal appreciation and gratification are shared by all my colleagues in the secretariat. 1 ’