Death Roll In Cargo Ship Fire

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30445, 20 May 1964, Page 16

Death Roll In Cargo Ship Fire

(N.Z PA -Reuter—Copyright) LONG BEACH (California), May 19. A German ship rescued 45 people from a blazing Norwegian cargo ship off Mexico’s west coast yesterday. But one man was dead and 10 people, including the captain, are missing.

The United States Coast Guard said seven of the 11 passengers on board thes62B-ton cargo ship Sandanger were among the missing. In Bergen, Norway, the ship’s owners, the Westfal Larsen Shipping Company, confirmee the- figure. It also said two stewardesses were missing. The rest of the crew abandoned ship and were taken aboard the 5280-ton German merchant ship Bodenstein. The Sandanger sailed from Long Beach last Saturday for Europe. Fire Reported

She radioed last night off the barren coast of Mexico’s Baja California: “Fire aboard

ship.” Later the stricken ship radioed: “Ship is' on fire . . . Wait . . . Fire amidships . . . Smoke ' coming into radio shaek . . . Can hardly stay here any longer . .. The whole bridge is burning . . The Bodenstein answered the distress call. First reports said she took off several passengers, including three children. The Bodenstein then stood by as the crew fought the blaze.

The Sandanger was 22 miles from land and on the shipping lane to the Panama Canal when the fire broke out.

Oven Fire.—An oven fire at the home of Mr R. Waghorn, 33 Straven road, at 10.33 a.m yesterday, caused no damage Firemen from the Sockburn station attended.