PASSENGER LINER ABLAZE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3461, 13 October 1913, Page 5

PASSENGER LINER ABLAZE

DREADFUL MID-ATLANTIC DISASTER. 236 PEOPLE MISSING. THRILLING TRACEDY ON THE HICH SEAS. WIRELESS BRINGS TIMELY AID. RESCUE: WORK HAMPERED BY HEAVY SEAS CUNITED PREBB ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.] (Received October 12, 5.25 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 12. The s.s. Oarmania yesterday evening received a wireless message from the Canadian-Northern Steamship Company’s big passenger steamer Volturno which was afire 78 miles away. The Oarmania. hastened to the rescue and found the Volturno burning forward fiercely. Two boatloads of passngers had been got safely away, but four others had been smashed against the sides of the Volturno by the terrific seas running, and the occupants were drowned. The gale prevented the Carmania’s boats from approaching. Meanwhile Captain Barr, of the Carmania, manoeuvred within 100 feet of the Volturno’s stern. Nine other steamers were wirelessly summoned, and search lights were erected. The heavy seas and the growing darkness frustrated repeated efforts to reach the Volturno.

The flames burst through the engine room and an explosion was heard. The passengers with lifebelts were huddled on the poop astern, and it was only possible to throw lifebuoys to them and to stand by. Numbers of struggling swimmers were picked up. The Volturno was still afloat at daybreak, and the sea was moderate. The various steamships made rescues as follows:

The Kroouland rescued the captain, chief, second, third arid fifth engineer, and two telegraphists. According to the Purser, the Yolturno’s complement was as follows: Cabin Passengers ... 24 Steerage Passengers ... 540 Crew 193 Total 757 It will be seen that 236 people are missing, and it is feared that they perished. The Canadian-Northern Steamship Company owned the Volturno, which was bound from Rotterdam to New York. At the time of the disaster the Volturno was almost exactlv in mid-At-lantic.

The CarmanLa received a wireless call for aid early on Thursday, and. reached the scene at noon. Ten other vessels responded to the distress call and arrived by four o’clock in the afternoon. When darkness fell the scene was a thrilling one. The Volturno was burning fiercely, surrounded by the huge and brilliant-ly-lighted hulls ol an international fleet crowded with thousands of spectators. All the 'vessels were rolling and plunging in mountainous seas, and unable to succour those in distress. It was not until 9.20 on Friday morning that the survivors were taken off The New York agents of the Uranium line believe that there is a. likelihood of a greater number being saved than was at first thought probable. The steamer Uranium has been despatched to recover bodies and give proper burial to the dead. The Uranium is expected to reach the scene on Wednesday. The Red Cross Committee at New York is arranging for the care of the survivors when they land.

Oaimania 1 La Touraino ... 40 Minneapolis ... 30 Rappahannock ... 19 .Czar 12 Narragansett 29 Devonian ... .59 Kroonland ... 90 Grosser Kurfnrst ... 10-5 Seydritz ... 36 Total ... -521