TOLL OF NEUTRALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24254, 23 March 1940, Page 11

TOLL OF NEUTRALS

DANISH SHIPS SUNK MANY LIVES LOST LARGE NUMBER MISSING NAZI ATTACKS CONTINUE (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, Mar. 22. (Received Mar. 22, at 9 p.m.) The Germans sank four more neutral ships—all Danish. U-boats were responsible for two of them, and the others were lost by explosion, presumably mines. The victims were the Algier (1654 tons), Minsk (5949 tons), Bothal (2109 tons), and Viking (1957 tons). The Algier was sunk in the Atlantic without warning, and four members of the crew and one woman passenger perished. Nineteen members of the crew and cue woman who clambered into a lifeboat were picked up after 10 hours in wintry weather.

The Minsk was sunk by a submarine off the north-east coast of Scotland. Eleven of the crew are missing. A British warship rescued nine after they had been 36 hours in a small boat.

Only five of the Bothal's crew of 20 and two of the Viking's crew of 17 survived. A lifeboat picked up the survivors from rafts, which a Royal Air Force plane sighted. Fire which broke out on the British steamer Albionic, of 2468 tons, is believed to have been caused by an incendiary bomb. The crew took to the boats, but the Albionic remained afloat and was towed to port. A German aeroplane bombed a British vessel on the south coast last night. Four members of the crew were killed and one died, including the chief and third officers and the chief engineer.