SHIPPING DISASTERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3382, 8 January 1919, Page 36

SHIPPING DISASTERS.

BRITISH SAILORS DROWNED. . (By Cable). Two hundred and seventy British sailors have been drowned off the Scotch coast. They were on leave aboard the yacht lolaire.. The yacht struck a rock off Stornoway. Most of the survivors were injured in attempting to reach- the. shore. All the officers and crew were lost. -Details of the wreck of the lolaire show that it was a clear night, with a roughish sea. A sudden storm carried her broadside on to the entrance at Stornoway Harbour, when she became unmanageable, struck bow on, and grounded a few yards from a ledge of rock jutting from the shore. Seas continually swept her, and within a few minutes she listed broadside on. Two boats were launched, but were smashed to pieces. Fifty or sixty men, tempted by the nearness of the shore,. jumped for the ledge, and were killed on the ragged rocks. Some reached the ledge, but were washed off. They, however, finally landed, and got a hawser secured, by means of which the survivors on board the lolaire were rescued. Owing to tho intense cold many failed to keep their hold on the hawser and were drowned. The lolaire broke up in half an hour and disappeared. The total death-roll is 300. Only 40 were saved, of whom many were badly injured amongst the jagged rocks. ACCIDENTS TO TRANSPORTS. The transport Northern Pacific, carry- ■ ing 2100 wounded Americans, grounded at Fire Island. The vessel is not endangered. The troops have landed. Fifteen of them fell into the surf, but were rescued. Many of the soldiers were rescued by means of the breeches-buoy. Four were taken out of an overturned surf boat, and were unconscious when dragged out of the water by the rescuing parties. Two thousand one hundred wounded soldiers climbed down rope ladders to the decks of rescue vessels. Two hundred seriously wounded men remained aboard. Th<3 American transport Tenadores, bound from New York -to Brest, is' stranded in the Bay of Biscay. The passengers and crew were landed safely.