TRAGIC WRECK STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19831, 29 December 1927, Page 11

TRAGIC WRECK STORY.

SINKING OF THE MAFALDA. RUSH! FOR THE BOATS. MYSTERIOUS PISTOL. SHOTS. SCENES OF TERRIBLE PANIC* Graphic stories of heroism and bravery on the part of British officers and seamen at the time of the sinking of the Italian liner Priucipessa Mafalda, off Bahia, Brazil, on October 25, and, of panic scenes, with mysterious shots, that followed in the rush for the boats, were told in London on November 17, when the Blue Star vessel Empirestar, tho first of the boats of six nations to reach the doomed ship, berthed at Gravesend, her home port. The Empirestar, a boat of 7199 gross tonnage, with a crew of 77, rescued 210 persons from the shark-infested waters, and, in the words of one of the officers, she was "the first on the scene and tho last to give up the search." The ship was expected to reach the Thames in daylight, and tugs and pilot boats intended to give her a siien salutation. But she crept down the river long before dawn, when nobody knew of her coming. These were some of the things that, according to statements 'made by rcseurers, occurred as the liner sank in the darkness and her 1300 passengers struggled for life. The second officer of the Empirestar was dragged by frantic hands from, a lifeboat into the water. Order waa kept at the point of the pistol.

Three Pistol Shots Fired. Three pistol shots rang out, but whether officers of the Mafalda had .shot their men to preserve discipline or committed suicide when they saw all was lost, no one knows. In the panic women are stated to have been braver than men. Lifeboats capsized from overcrowding, and, in many cases, dead men were thrown out into the water to make room for the living. Captain C. R. Cooper paid 4?igh tribute to the courageous work of his men in rescuing 201 lives. "As we worked," he said, "it grew darker and darker, and lamps and torches, and every other kind of light, was turned on to the waters where men and women were struggling. The shrieking of the people in the water was terrible. I hope I shall never hear anything like it again. Half-drowned men and women were brought aboard, and we had tea and coffee and stimulants going all night in the cabins and dining rooms. v.

"Our.race started at 5.20 p.m., when we received the S.O.S. 'Danger in Engines,' from the liner. We approached the Mafalda about 5.45, * when she stopped and began lowering crowded boats, two of which capsized alongside of her. Wo lowered boats and started rescuing people from Eiwamped boats and from the sea. The steamship Alhena arrived to help, as did the Formosa and the Mosella, Rosetti, Solen and a Greek steamer.

"At 9.40 the Mafalda, having settled by the stern and listing heavily to port, suddenly capsized and sank. At daylight all the rescued were transferred to the Formosa. The steamers searched the vicinity, and Ihe Rosetti reported rescuing a number of people from a raft." Rescue Boat Split and Leaking. The chief officer, Mr. N. J. Synnott, who went out with the lifeboats, said-: "We saw people rushing to the boats and jumping into the' water. - Many of the boats capsized through overcrowding and panic. I jumped into one of the Mafalda's lifeboats when it drew near and called for some men as volunteers. Everybody that could began swimming toward us, and we were in great danger of cutting them with our propeller. After we had picked up thirteen I found the boat was leaking and was split along the side. Wo used our caps to scoop out the water, which rose above our knees. •

"There was terrible panic. In the firstclass gangway the officer in charge was cool and had everything in hand, but away from the gangway everybody was running about and sliding down boat tackles and jumping into the water. No women or children jumped over the Side. The women were really cooler than the men. J, . i "Just before the Mafalda turned over we saw a lot of men on ropes hanging over the forecastle and shouting. Ihey wouldn't jump into the water or we could have got them. When the vessel went down there was one big long wail, which seemed to come from the women, and terrible screaming and shouting. Many dead m6n were dragged into the boats by boathooks and thrown into the water again. In one case we were about to throw a man back as dead when he gave a groan, and by artificial respiration we saved his life. Babies Rescued in Ash Bags, "The women showed wonderful fortitude, and wouldn't get into the boat until the children had gone first. We got the little babies on board by putting them into ash bags so that they couldn't fall out. We had 28 children, most of whom were infants." Mr. H. A; Rowlands, the second officer, stated : " I was standing in the boat when somebody grasped my legs and I slipped, and was flung into the water. The chief officer of the' Mafalda had a gun in his hand to try and keep order,, and he also flashed a light. "We heard three shots ring out toward the end, but we did not know whether officers of the boat had isli.ot themselves .or were shooting to keep order. Another officer on the stricken vessel held a knife in his hand when trying to regulate the stampede for the boats." Before the liner sank she signalled: "Abandon ship."