LAUNCHED ITSELF

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 42, 18 August 1939, Page 9

LAUNCHED ITSELF

The Young Ameruican

H.M.S. FORMIDABLE

COLLAPSE OF CRADLE

A WOMAN KILLED

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF OTHER SPECTATORS

(By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright.) (Received August 18, 10 a.m.) LONDON, August 17. A woman was killed and fifteen persons Avere injured, but hundreds of workmen and thousands of spectators had a miraculous escape, when the 23,000-ton aircraft-carrier Formidable launched herself at Belfast half an hour before the scheduled time for christening by Lady Wood, wife of the Air Minister. The ship began to .move as Lady Wood, accompanied by her husband arid officials, mounted the platform. With great presence of mind . she grabbed the bottle of wine and smashed it across the bows as they were almost out of reach. Thousands of people were horrified by the noise of ripping metal and wood as the ship tore away from the cradle and began to career down the slips entirely unsupported. Workmen who were still employed under the ship dashed to safety as huge pieces of the cradle were flung in all directions. Spectators massed close on each side of the slipway were in imminent danger of being crushed to death had the ship overturned, but by one chance in a million the Formidable remained on an even keel as it gathered speed and plunged into the water amid the dead silence of the petrified crowd.

Those on the official platform stood white and tense as the ship took the water. Dpzens of women fainted, and others were treated for slight injuries when a section of the crowd stampeded.

No theory is yet available as to the cause of the mishap. Waiting tugs had to steam hurriedly from the path of the ship.

The woman who was killed was Mrs. Cooke, wife of a shipyard worker who was injured.