SALVAGE OPERATIONS DELAYED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 10 June 1939, Page 9

SALVAGE OPERATIONS DELAYED

SUBMARINE THETIS FIRE HASTENS END OF DROWNED MEN (IJ P A.—Bv Electric Telegraph—Copyright! (Received 10th June. 925 a.m.) LONDON. 9th June. Rear-Admiral Fraser, in a statement, said that it was improbable that salvage operations on the submarine Thetis would be resumed for at least three weeks because of Ihe difficulties involved in the recovery of the vessel from deep water. Rear-Admiral Bruce, who arrived at Liverpool to attend a conference regarding the salvage of the Thetis, re\ealed that fire broke out just before the last survivors escaped and probably hastened the end of the trapped men It was started electrically, the smoke being clearly visible in the compartment housing the Davis escape chamber. Admiral Bruce said that engines worked to operate the Davis apparatus, but after the three dead men were pulled back into the submarine, the chamber was emptied by opening the inner hatch and allowing the w*aler to pour in. The water could not escape by normal channels because of the steep angle and instead trickled into the engine room and dripped on the engines, starting the fire. ADMIRALTY STATEMENT I U-P A.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright! (Received 10th June. 9.50 a.m.) LONDON. 9th June. The Admiralty issued the following statement: “Confirmation of the fire aboard the Thetis must await inquiry.”