INDIAN OCEAN TRAGEDY.
BURNING OF THE CIGALE.
WILD RUSH FOR THE 30A7S.
TWENTY-THREE DROWNED.
By Telegraph— Press Association— Copyright.
(Received 5.5 p.m.)
A. nnd N.Z. CAPETOWN. Dec. 9. Further details are to haru' of the burning of the' steamer Cigale when she was 55 miles out from Mauritius.
There were 57 persons aboard the.vessel. Her cargo of 1500 cases of motor spirit, caught fire. A Chinese passenger was blown up into the rigging with his clothing ablaze, and before help could reach him he was burned to death.
A panic followed and there was a wild rush to the boats. One woman died of fright.
Two full boats abandoned the ship, leaving the captain, the officers and fainting women passengers on the blazing vessel. After an hour's torturing work the French sailors subdued the flame's. The ship, however, began to sink.
The two boats which had put off then returned and a timber raft was constructed. When the ship finally sank 23 persons were drowned.
Two aged Roman Oitholic priests who were offered seats in the boats refused, saying: "We have no families." One> priest was subsequently rescued after many hours of buffeting on a raft six feet square.
The boats eventually reached the island of Reunion.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18889, 11 December 1924, Page 9
Word Count
207INDIAN OCEAN TRAGEDY. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18889, 11 December 1924, Page 9
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