CHANNEL COLLISION

Evening Star, Issue 17824, 22 November 1921, Page 6

CHANNEL COLLISION

KUBELIK’S NARROW ESCAPE. M. Kubelik, tho famous violinist, who has been paying Groat Britain, his first visit since the war. was a passenger on board the Ostend mail steamer Jan JJreydel, which sank the Norwegian cargo boat Balina off the Goodwins with a loss of eleven lives, lie gave an ‘Observer’ representative a graphic description of the disaster. “I cannot imagine,’’ said 31. Kubelik, “how the collision occurred, for although it was foggy you could seo for a long distance, and tho suu did not set until nearly an hour after the collision. 1 was reading in my dock cabin at the time, and on seeing all the passengers looking eagerly in one direction 1 went outside and saw the Salina approaching us at right angles on tho starboard side. Both vessels were apparently going full speed, Tho passengers seemed spellbound, wondering which vessel would be the one 'to deliver tho blow. Then, as she was about to pass in front of us, we struck her amidsliips. “If it had been tho other way about, and tho Salina, had struck us. X believe tho loss of life would have been much more serious, as wo had about 200 people on board tiie mail boat, and tho crew seemed very slow in lowering the boats for rescuing t-ho survivors on tho sinking vessel. There was no panic on our vessel, but some women were hysterical, and there was natural excitement until wo knew that the mail boat was uninjured and in no danger of sinking. The Salina after the impact went ahead for a short distance anti then sank, bow first, in an incredibly short space of time. I saw the crow struggling to lower their boats as she sank, and it was all over in a very few minutes. “As the Salina began to sink I turned away, for the sight was too much for me, and when I looked again 1 saw nothing but two upturned boats, a few barrels, and other floating wreckage. “ Our vessel remained on the spot for about an hour, and tho boats brought back about leu person?, including ono woman, picked up from tho scene of the disaster, hut tho woman and ono of the men died shortly afterwards. Wo had no doctor or nurse or medical equipment on board, and apparently tho voyago had been made so often in safety that such a thing as a collision had not been contemplated.” 31. Kubelik said his first thought when the collision occurred was for his precious violin, ihn St rad “Emperor," valued nt £25,000, which is guarded' with jealous care wherever ho goes. This and his second treasure, a Josef Gnarnerius, in their long leather cases, were iu llis cabin, and ho ran for them with tho intention of passing a lifebuoy round each, so that they might float and stand a chance of rescue In the event of llieir ship sinking. CAI’TAIN'S NARRATIVE. TRAGIC FATE Of HIS WIFE AND BABY BOY, Captain Alerrel, of tho Salina, gave tho following account of his experience: — “ Whoa tho collision occurred my wife and iny two sons, named Svorro and Emu, aged three years and twenty months respectively, were standing with their mother on deck just below tho bridge, whilst I was on the bridge. When the ships crashed together I jumped on deck and grabbed hold of my eldest son. shouting to my wife to do the same with the baby boy There was no timo to do anything else, not even to get hold of a lifebelt.

“Wo had no sooner gripped bold of our children than the ship lurched violently, throwing us all into the sea. 31 y wife, who was twenty-six, was, like myself, a good swimmer, but I think she must have got. injured in tho collision, for she did not seem able to swim much. Bbo had clutched our little fellow round the neck, and their faces were touching. “ [ and the elder boy, whose arms wore round my neck with his body resting against mv chest, wont under twice, despite my efforts to keep Irim above water. Ho was a brave little fellow, and did everything 1 told him, and did not cry. When wo camo to tho surface tho second timo 1 was fooling groaily exhausted; but to ray great relief I saw a deck chair floating near. I managed to roach it and hid tho boy on it, but I found that even tho weight of his small body made tho canvas sag, so that he was under water. However, tho temporary rest did us good. " I looked about for my with and baby hoy, but they wore nowhere to bd seen. Eventually a boat from the Jan Breydel camo and took us out of the water. My little son then for the first time started crying and saying ‘ I want mummy, I want mummy, where is she?’ “Wo had not been on board tho mail boat long before my wife's body was hauled up and placed on tho deck, but tho baby boy was missing. Ho was evidently washed away from her grasp. Bho died before we reached Dover.”