DUTCH PACKET STEAMER

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 97, 21 October 1936, Page 11

DUTCH PACKET STEAMER

DEATH ROLL OF 73

SURABAYA TRAGEDY

United Press Association—By Electric Tele.

Erapli—Copyright,

(Received October 21, 16.20 a.m.)

SYDNEY, This Day.

News has been received from Surabaya of the loss of the Royal packet steamer Van der Wijck, which capsized and sank about 20 miles west of Surabaya early on Tuesday morning, with a death roll of 73. The vessel, which had 330 people aboard, went under in five minutes. There was no time to issue life-saving equipment. Ten military 'planes and five war-1 ships were rushed to the rescue when the, naval commandant at Surabaya received the SOS: "Vessel listing heavily," which was followed by an ominous silence. * . The -warships rescued -210 people from the floating debris, and the seaplanes picked up 47 persons. The death roll includes eight Europeans, among them being the wireless operator. The commander, Captain Akkei'man, was rescued. REPORTS DIFFER. Reports as to the cause of the tragedy are at variance. One message says that the sea was calm and that the disaster is apparently inexplicable, while another states that the ship, which carried a large cargo of oil, rolled heavily in a rough sea, turned over, and sank. Although the ship went down at 1 a.m. it was 7 a.m. before any pf those aboard "were rescued. Because the origin of the SOS signal was not known the 'planes had to fly in wide circles in their search for signs of the survivors. When the seaplanes arrived on the scene a number of native fishermen were dragging people to safety. Seaplanes which alighted on the sea did splendid rescue work, but their capacity was limited. ; INTERRUPTED MESSAGE. The vessel was on a run from Surabaya to Batavia. It appears that the ship turned over as the wireless operator was half-way1 through sending the SOS message, as it was cut short, the ship's name and position not , being given. • ■■'■■■',■•■.» Some of those rescued were found floating about on chairs and wreckage. The search for possible survivors is continuing.

The Van der Wijck was a vessel of 2633 tons which was built at Rotterdam in 1921. She was 320 feet long, 44 feet wide, and 27$ feet in depth. She had three decks, and was fitted for oil fuel. The owners are the Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij. ■ ■ "