SEA TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 21905, 17 December 1934, Page 11

SEA TRAGEDY

WRECK Of THE USWORTH GALLANT RESCUE ATTEMPTS Frets Association—By Telegraph—Copyright V NEW YORK, December 15. Captain J. G. P. Bissett, master of the liner Ascania, . wirelessed to the •* New York Times ’ a detailed account of the foundering of the Usworth m the North Atlantic on Friday, putting the correct loss of life at seyenty-two, which included sailors from the Jean Jadot. Nine of the Usworth’s crew were saved. Two are aboard the Jadot hound - for' Antwerp, and the remainder On the Ascania, en route to Halifax. Captain Bissett said he picked up an S.O.S. at midnight on Thursday, and steamed 100 miles, arriving at the scene at 7 o’clock in the morning in mountainous seas.' The 'Jadot was trying to make contact with the with life lines. The Ascania made similar efforts.till noon, but rescue was impossible in the high seas, which continued. Streams of oil from the Jadot , , failed to calm the water. A lifeboat from the Jadot reached the Usworth after a terrific struggle and removed fourteen, men, but when attempting to return to the Jadot the lifeboat capsized, drowning fourteen, including two of the lifeboat crew. At 1.30 in the afternoon the Ascania launched, a lifeboat and picked up the remainderof the crew, but three men fell, in . the ocean and were drowned through. over-eagerness to board the i lifeboat from the Usworth.

Captain Bissett praised' tie volunteers from the Jadot and his vessel for making perilous lifeboat attempts; He said he left the scene at 3.30 this afternoon, with the Usworth in a sinking condition..

EFFNTB TO TOW THE USWORTH UNAVAILING ‘ JTNE WORK BY JEAN JADOT AND ASCANIA. (British. Official Wireless.) ; RUGBY, December 15. (Received December 17, at noon.) Further details of the Usworth wreck state that .the steering gear had been broken' in a violent gale and she had been-taken in tow by the Jean Jadot, but on Wednesday night the tow rope parted.- The -Usworth rigged temporary steering gear and proceeded towards, ‘Queenstpwn under the Jean Jadot’s escort, but yesterday morning, she sent out distress calls and the Ascania -came to her help., High seas were running,' ’ and when the Ascania arrived ,the Usworth was awash with a bad list., While the Ascania stood to windward to -provide shelter the Belgian launched a lifeboat and took off\ several of the Usworth’s crew, but on tne return journey v the lifeboat was swamped and‘.ten of. the Usworth’s sea-,., men " and two of the would-be rescuers were drowned. The Ascania then launched ‘ a lifeboat and succeeded in taking off the remaining eighteen members of the .Usworth’s crew.