COLLISION AT SEA

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 27 February 1928, Page 9

COLLISION AT SEA

LATE EDITION

ITALIAN VESSEL LOST. SINKS IN THREE MINUTES. - ,/" SOUS SURVIVOR’L STORY. By CAIU.iI ».S*sUolAliOX»- OOPittIGUI. Received 11.20 a.m. to-day. LONDON, Feb. 27. Giovanni Pavon, an engineer or tiie Alcantara and sole survivor, was iounu gazing at the battered Tovarisch. He said: “It was dark. There was a ' strong breeze anti 1 the engines were reduced to knots, when the chief engineer came down and said the captain had ordered him to stand by, because there was a terrible danger. A tremendous crash followed, accompanied by groans and curses. The chief engineer shouted: ‘All hands on deck. 1 rushed up. It was pitch dark, but there was no fog. The Alcantara reeled. I saw the stem of the 'lovarisch wedged in the starboard quarter. i ran to the engine room stains, vainly calling my mate. Two tremendous reports denoted the- explosion of the boilers. 1 grasped the Tovarisch’s bowsprit chain and the Alcantara sank iri three minutes. A Russian hauled, me up to the Tovarisch, which played a f. searchlight on the lowered boats.” A CANCELLED I S.O'.S. CALL. RUSSIAN OREIW SWORN TO SECRECY. •

LONDON, Feb. 26. One of the strangest features of the Alcantara collision was the cancellation of the Tovarisc-ho S.O.S. by a second message to the effect that “no help is now: needed.” This delayed the departure of the lifeboats by three hours, until the true position was ascertained from other sources. Tlie entire crew of the Tovarischo is at present confined, to the- ship and were sworn to secrecy by the representative of the Arcos Steamship Company. Itis impossible, under the circumstances, to clear up the enigma.