Liner Aground While On Pleasure Cruise

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 232, 2 October 1935, Page 4

Liner Aground While On Pleasure Cruise

WHILE ON PLEASURE CRUISE. EVERYBODY WELL—NO DANGER United Press Association.— By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. NEW YORK, Sept. 30. The Holland-Amcrika liner Rotterdam, carrying GOO passengers on a West Indies cruise, has grounded cn a reef sixty miles south-east of Kingston, Jamaica. Captanh Van Dulkcn has asked nearby ships to’ stand-by for possible assistance. “Everybody is well and quiet aud there is no danger,” he said. The liner left New York on September 21. Gripped by Coral-fanged Reef PASSENGERS AND CREW SAFE Received Tuesday, 7.35 p.m. KINGSTON, Jamaica, Sept. 30. Gripped by a coral-fanged reef the liner Rotterdam to-night transferred her 450 passengers to the rescue ship Ariguani which pul out from Kingston. The crew of the Rotterdam numbering 52G are not believed t-o be in immediate danger. Passengers took the shipwreck as more or less of an experience. They changed ships without mishap and perfect discipline was maintained. The cause of the gTounding is unknown. It is not attributed to the week-end hurricane as the Rotterdam was coming up behind its tail. The sea was smoothed into a comparative calm after the week-end storm that inflicted damage amounting to 1,250,000 dollars to Jamaica’s banana crops, but the swell is still running. Tho Ariguani’s messages reported that the Rotterdam is pounding lightly. Leaks have opened in the bottom and tne vessel is taking water in four compartments. Almost the full length of the ship is lying on the jagged reef. Tlho week-end hurricane, the tail end of Which struck Jamaica on Friday night, killed tw r o persons and damaged the banana crops. The hurricane passed to Cuba where it cut a swath 150 miles wide through three provinces, killing 30 persons, while hundreds of people were rendered homeless and heavy' damage was done to property. The hurricane menaced the east coast of Florida for 17 hours, but it moved across Bimini, sent high winds to the Bahama Islands and rushed towards Bermuda which, how T ever, escaped with minor damage to-night as the hurricane whirled by about 100 miles north-west of Bermuda which is believed.to be safe from serious damage. LATER. Two hundred and ilfty members of the Rotterdanfs crew were also taken off, leaving 276 aboard.