STOWAWAYS FIND HOME

Press, Volume C, Issue 29403, 4 January 1961, Page 15

STOWAWAYS FIND HOME

Prisoners For Two Years Press Association—CopyrigM/ LONDON. Jan. 2. Two young men of "doubtful nationality” disappeared from sight today after being held prisoners on the high seas for two years." They are known in ports all over the world as Sam and Joe. Their rise from obscurity to international fame began when they were found hiding in the liner Strathmore just after it had left Aden two years ago Both claimed they were from the Punjab, but they could not substantiate this with passports or any official documents. They were shipped back to India, but the authorities refused to let them land. From that moment Sam and Joe travelled the world on dozens of ships. When a vessel put into port they were locked in their cabins.

Sometimes they were put ashore and locked up. Whenever their ship sailed, Sam and Joe had to sail with it, for’ no country wanted them. Then came a ray of hope. An Italian Government official said his country would take them. The P. and O. Shipping Company, who had been the stowaways’ "hosts” for two years, welcomed this news. But after negotiations had been under way for some time “we suddenly heard no more from the Italians.” a P. and O. spokesman said today. Sam and Joe set sail again, this time for Australia, in the Strathnaver. But Australia didn’t want them either. Back to London, and the Home Office relented. Yesterday, 24-year-old Samuel Abdullah and 20-year-old Joseph Vaz stepped ashore free men. Less than 24 hours after they had landed, an immigration official had this to say of them. "They’ve just vanished. We don’t know where they are, and we don’t care.”