FRUITLESS SEARCH

Evening Star, Issue 21571, 17 November 1933, Page 9

FRUITLESS SEARCH

THE SAXILBY'S GREW WORST FEARED (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. RUGBY, November 16. (.Received November 17, at 1 p.m.) Much anxiety is felt regarding the fate of twenty-seven members of the crew of the Saxilby, who arc believed to have abandoned the ship and taken to the boats in a great Atlantic storm about 400 miles off Valentin Island (Ireland). The last message received from the Saxilby stated that she was trying to get the boats away. Communication with the vessel has not since been re-established, and Captain Mitchell, of the freighter Manchester Regiment, in a message yesterday afternoon, when ninety-two miles east of the Saxilby, said be bad no answer to repeated calls. Tic reported his vessel as making very little headway owing to a whole gale, high mountainous seas, and frequent heavy squalls, but there were indications that the weather was improving.

Several other vessels proceeded to help the Saxilby’s crew, including the Borengaria, which was expected to reach the scene about midnight, but owing to the heavy weather she had to reduce her speed. According to a later message from the Bcrengarla, whoso'searchlights were sweeping the mountainous seas, fefirs wore entertained by her officers that small boats could not live long under such conditions.

Lloyd’s telegram from the Valentia wireless station states that the following message, timed 9 a.in., was received from the Dutch steamer Boschdijk:— “ Searching the spot; nothing seen so far; visibility good since dawn.” Message received from the Manchester Regiment at 9 a.m.:—“ At present searching in (lie vicinity of the last known position of the Saxilby. Visibility good.” The Cunard Company received the following from the Bcrongaria at 9.45 a.m.:—“Search for Saxilby unsuccessful. Proceeding.” Little hope remains that any of the crow of the Saxilby have survived.

[The Saxilby, 3,630 tons) wirelessed requesting immediate assistance. A later message stated that the crow were trying to launch the boats. Early in the afternoon brief wireless messages stated that the Saxilby had been abandoned. The Saxilby’s position was given as 500 miles west of Ireland.]