WRECKED VESSEL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 169, 18 June 1936, Page 7

WRECKED VESSEL

MAY BE MISSING TRAWLER. FLYING BRITISH FLAG. BODIES ON REEF. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received June 18, 10.10 a.m. LONDON, June 17. A message received at Nassau (Bahamas) from Inagua confirms the finding of a vessel believed to be the missing trawler Girl Pat. It adds that the sloop Dove was attracted, to the trawler by the sight of the British Hag. She lound tiio vessel badly damaged on a reef and three bodies on a iedge nearby. Tne Dove's complement also found suitcases, a Bible and nautical instruments. The crew of the Dove buried the bodies. The Bahamas Government has cabled the nearest magistrate to proceed to Samana Cay Island to investigate.

A SEA MYSTERY. NO SOLUTION YET. Received June 18, 8.5 a.m. LONDON, June 17. The mystery as to whether the British vessel reported to have been wrecked at the Bahamas is the Girl Pat is still unsolved. Lloyds. London, have been informed that a hurricane is raging, making an immediate search’ impossible. The venue of the reported wreck is a coral-encircled island with exceedingly difficult and treacherous seas, and has been the scene of frequent wrecks. If the vessel turns out to be the Girl Pat it means that she has travelled more than a thousand miles since she was last seen.

Jack Vincent, one of the Girl Pat’s owners, states: “We hear all sorts of fantastic stories, but this seems genuine.”

Tho skipper Osborne’s wife is still hopeful that she will see her husband again. The object of the Girl Pat’s wanderings is still one of the deepest sea mysteries.

A search for the North Sea trawler Girl Pn.t has been carried out since the trawler left Corcubion (Spain) on April 21. The owners had come to the conclusion that tlve master and crewhad made off with the ship. On June 11 the master of an American steamer reported that a vessel believed to he the Girl Pat had been seen flying distress signals near Cayenne.