LOST SUBMARINE

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 October 1928, Page 5

LOST SUBMARINE

A FRENCH DISASTER.

(Australian Press Association.) (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.)

LONDON, October 12.

The missing French submarine “Ondine” is now definitely believed to have been lost off Oporto over a week ago, having been struck by a Greek ship.

The master of a French steamer arriving at Rouen reports that he intercepted this morning, at 4.10, a wireless message from a foreign steamer, saying that she had struck “a fishing boat, i

or floating wreck.” The position given by the Captain coincides with that of the submarine Ondine. Therefore, there is no doubt that she has sunk with all hands in 'a depth between 4500 and 6000 feet.

CAPTAIN CENSURED.

PARIS, October 13.

Apart from the grief at the loss of the submarine Ondine, the crew of which now no doubt are dead, there is a feeling of soreness regarding the circumstances of the sinking. The Minister of Marine received news from the French Consul at Rotterdam, who telegraphed that the master of the Creek steamer Ekaterina, on arrival there, reported colliding with an object off the coast of Portugal at 11 o’clock in the evening of October 3. ’The master said that he was unable in the darkness to ascertain the nationality of the vessel struck. He cruised .backwards and forwards for two hours, but there was no tVace either of survivors or of wreckage. The sea was rough. French officials say that the usual course for the Greek steamer would have been to have awaited daylight and continue the search. They also think that the master of the vessel should have gone to Vigo; instead of waiting eight days until his arrival at Rotterdam.