NORTH SEA ORDEAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23145, 17 September 1938, Page 2 (Supplement)

NORTH SEA ORDEAL

PARTY ON YACHT - ADRIFT FOR SEVEN DAYS ) PICKED UP BY TRAWLER 1 For seven days a party of four British holiday-makers, three men and a woman, drifted helplessly in- the North Sea, and they were close to starvation before rescue came. The four people, who belong to London, were found in an exhausted condition on the 33-1 on cutter Freda about 150 mile® east of Peterhead. The party was picked up by Captain liken, of the German trawler Carl Stangen. As his vessel could not leave the fishing ground, Captain Uken asked the trawler C. P. Andersen, owned by the same company, which was about to return to Hamburg with fish, to take the four on board. To avoid delaying the C. P. Andersen arrangements were made for the Freda to be towed to Hamburg by another trawler, the Marlene. From the account given to him o? the quartette's adventures, Captain Uken ";athered that the party was on a holiday cruiso from Scotland to Norway and back. "The outward voyage went of? smoothly," said Captain Uken, speaking over the radio-telephone to London, "but on their return they_ encountered extremely strong head winds.The auxiliary engine broke down, and for seven days they drifted practically helpless in the North Sea. Provisions —above all, drinking water —began to run short." Describing the rescue, Captain Uken' said: "Wo were fishing at the Fladpngrund, a well-known IVorth Sea fishing ground, when wo sighted a small yacht flying the emergency ensign. "I immediately gave orders to haul in the nets, and wo steamed toward tho vessel. We saw three men and a woman standing on deck holding fast to the rigging arid all showing signs of exhaustion. "As soon as we got within earshot wo asked: 'Are you in need of help? And ono of them replied: 'Yes, indeed.; We are waiting for it.' We did not have to lower a boat as the, sea was calm. We drew alongside the yacht and some of my men jumped over to assist the crew. They appeared to be in a pitiful condition. "We first brought the lady on board and then the three rnen. Wo gave them food and drink and did all that possible within tho narrow space of a fishing trawler to mako them comfortable."