PERILS OF THE SEA

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1797, 15 August 1906, Page 8

PERILS OF THE SEA

THE SIRIG DISASTERLOSS OF LIFE ESTIMATED AT FOUR HUNDRED. LONDON, August 6. Further particulars of the wreck of tho Italian emigrant steamer near Cartagena, on the south-east coast of Spain, show that between three and four hundred persons were drowned. Fishing-boats rescued four hundred beforo the doomed vessel sank. Tho steamer Mario Louise saw the Sirio strike, and heard a tremendous explosion. Those on board the Mari© Louise rescued fifty-four persons who wore floating in the water. The Austrian Consul, who was proceeding to Brazil, was found floating. Ho had given his lifebelt to a woman and child, and was on the point of drowning when ho was rescued. The sinking steamer threatened to engulf a fishing-boat. Joven Miguel, tho captain of the latter, intimidated his own crew into remaining and helping to rescue the unfortunate emigrants. More than that, he compelled those who were rescued to go below after tney were taken from tho water, and thus make room for others. A lame fisherman succeeded in rescuing two!vo of the Sirio’s passengers. The Bishop of San Paulo, was drowned owing to his lifebelt not being properly attached. Tins CAPTAIN ALIVE. 5 WRECK DUE TO OVER CONFIDENCE. LONDON, August 7. The captain of the Sirio —who was reported to have shot himself when he saw his vessel in charge of the emigrant passengers—is alive. He declares that tho reef on which the vessel struck is uncharted. The disaster is due to the captain’s overconfidence, inasmuch as he is familiar with the route. Most of tho crew were 6aved. A passenger narrates that roughs in tho water belaboured a floating group of women with their fists and snatched their lifebelts from them. All the women were drowned. Tho Madrid correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” states that the officers of the Sirio are severely censured for abandoning their posts and not attempting to rescue the passengers. The captain fled, and in order fo give him time to reach a place of safety, tho officers alleged that he had committed suicide.