Little Hope For 86 Men On The Thetis, Which is Located

Northern Advocate, 3 June 1939, Page 7

Little Hope For 86 Men On The Thetis, Which is Located

(Received 1.0 p.m.) LONDON, June 2. “rpHE ADMIRALTY REGRETS THAT HOPE OF SAVING FURTHER LIVES IS DIMINISHING.” This official statement was made in connection with the new submarine Thetis, which, when on diving trials, failed to return to the surface yesterday. The submarine was located this morning by the destroyer Brazen, 14 miles north-west of Great Orme’s Head, and about four miles south of the mouth of the Mersey, and an announcement was made by the Admiralty that the submarine’s stern was standing 18 feet out of the water. She is 265 feet in length. A later message confirmed that there were 130 feet of water beneath the Thetis’s stern, which was 18 feet from the water. Lifting and cutting apparatus was sent to the scene. Observers flying over the site stated that the submarine was enthely under the water at 5.30 p.m., despite low while the camels (appliances for raising sunken ships in shallow water) were no longer visible. Efforts to augment the air supply continue. Compressed air cylinders were earlier lashed to the stern to pi’event sinking. The spring tide was rising when the Thetis s tail was located. The local difference between low and high tide is 27 feet, so that if the nose had been caught the entire tail would be likely to be submerged at full tide. Divers were maintaining communication with the men in the submarine by tapping on the hull. The Llandudno lifeboat was launched at 1.30 p.m., taking a doctor xo the scene. It is estimated that the air supply will last those imprisoned until 1.40 a.m. to-morrow. Cammell Laird released the names of 29 members of their staff aboard the Thetis, also three Vickers-Armstrong officials, thus revealing that there are still 86 aboard. A later Admiralty reports says the Thetis is apparently at an angle of 45 degrees, the nose on the bottom. The theory at Birkenhead regarding the height of the stern out of the water is that this indicated that the bow is caught in some old wreckage.

9 Rear-Admiral Watson, commanding

submarines, is directing rescue operations at the Thetis. There is no doubt that the forepart of the vessel' is flooded, but those saved report that pone are trapped there. It is suggested that something went wrong while the crew were demonstrating flooding of the fore torpedo tube. Experts state that it will be impossible to pump in air unless the foul air is let out.

Later information regarding the sunken Thetis states that hawsers parted after being attached to the submarine’s hull. The Thetis now rests on the seabed on an even keel. Cammell Laird, the builders, stated earlier that steel ropes would be passed under the bow of the vessel in the hope of moving the Thetis.