CAUGHT IN VORTEX

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8681, 14 March 1914, Page 6

CAUGHT IN VORTEX

THREE MEN SUCKED DOWN BY A SINKING VESSEL.

LONDON, January 23

Three lives-were lost by the sinking of the. Salcombe brigantine Restless, after collision with the Port of London Authority’s dredger, Lord Desborough, at the mouth of the Thames, off Southend, yesterday morning. .The victims were: —Thomas White, A. 8., of Guernssy; Joan iverrv, of .beign-ou-i-e.i and T. Hale, the cook, of Guernsey. . Two of these men —White and Hale —made a leap for life and reached the deck of the dredger in safety, but they set out in a small boat to rescue others of the crew left on the brigantine, and were sucked dorvn by the swirl of water when the vessel sank. Four were saved: —Captain S. Playle, of Quernsey; tho mate, W. Harden, of Hull; and two A.B.’s, Alfred Root, of Guernsey, and Edward Doyle, of Wexford. Doyle and Root also jumped on board the dredger .immediately after the collission; but the skipper, the mate, and seaman Kerry were unable to take this short cut to safety. _ Within a few moments the brigantine had drifted off.; She was seen to be rapidly sinking, and the position of those on board was one of great danger. Doyle joined White and Hale m lowering one of the Lord Desborough’s boats and setting Put to the rescue, but tho party was unable to reach the brigantine before she sank. The swirl of the water capsized the little craft, and the men were thrown into tlie sea, White and Hale being sucked down with the schooner, a fate which Kerry shared. ... The ethers were able to swim about until they were rescued by a fishing smack and taken on board the dredger. They were in the water for a considerable time, and when picked u. appeared to be suffering very much from the effects of their immersion. Int tho afternoon they were taken to Southend, and later came on to LonThe Restless was proceeding to Louden from Portland with a cargo ot stone, and was some distance above the Mouse lightship when the Lord Desborough was sighted, nearly a mu® off According to eye-witnesses tne dredger struck the brigantine on the port bow. ... i i. Doyle said he did not know how he escaped being sucked down. Hd had to swim for. nearly twenty minutes before ho was picked tip.