Seamen taken fey sharks?

Press, 15 August 1984, Page 8

Seamen taken fey sharks?

NZPA-AAP Perth Sharks are believed to have taken nine sailors after the Dorolonda, a cargo vessel, sank in high seas north of Australia last week. Two crewmen survived five days on a raft off Bali before they were picked up by the Australian ship, Energy Searcher, on Sunday. They had nothing to drink and they ate packets of savoury snacks that they grabbed when their small cargo boat sank last Tuesday. They were circled by sharks for the five days,

they told rescuers. The survivors are the chief engineer, Agus Bungle, aged 28, of Sumba, and Yosias Toteutta, aged 33, an oiler, of Surabaya. They were crewmen in the Dorolonda, carrying cargo, Sumba to Surabaya. The master of the Energy Searcher, Peter Hester, said by radio yesterday that the two men were seen waving frantically from their makeshift raft about 10 a.m. on Sunday. “We were a little cautious of them at first because of pirates in the area,” he said.

“We thought it may have been a set up and circled them for a while. “There were other fishing boats nearby and they did not seem to be taking much notice. “We fired a rocket over them and brought them »de with a rope and hem from the water with a crane. “They were near exhaustion but were ecstatic at seeing us.” He said that both had feet trouble because of immersion, but had regained their appetite and were “eating

like horses”. A medical man aboard the Energy Searcher was caring for the men, who would be taken to Karratha, flown to Perth, and then flown home. They were expected to arrive at Karratha today or tomorrow. The men told Captain Hester that the Dorolonda’s engine stopped on Tuesday and the 51-tonne vessel took water when rough weather came up about 6 p.m. The boat went down about 10.30 p.m. There were no liferafts on board, but the men had life jackets.