MOSSAMEDES WRECK.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16113, 30 April 1923, Page 3

MOSSAMEDES WRECK.

MISSING BOAT PICKED UP

SEVEN LIVES LOST IN WRECK

DETAILS OF DISASTER

.liiee. Tei. Conyrigtu—uwtetl Press Assn.t (Australian aim .w„. cable Association.) CAPETOWN, April kc Only one of the Aiossamede s boats, containing two British officers, is now missing; Of 260 passengers ana crew aboard'227 were saved. Woven are known u> have been drowned through tackle on a. boat giving way while being launched. Twenty-iour others are reported miss-

(Received April 50, 9.45 a.m.) CAPETOWN, April id 9. The, mystery surrounding the Mossamectes crew nas been dispelled by the amra.'i of a Portuguese gunboat at, Port -uossamedes with llu survivors. Eightylour others were landed at Port -Alexandre. The French gunboat Cassiopee also picked up 33. The chief oracer states that the vessel struck the rocks in a dense fog, three hundred yards from the shore on tne morning of the 24th. It was pitch dark with a rough sea. The passengers were all asleep. A panic ensued. By the efforts ot the captain and officers, the contusion soon subsided. When dawn broke the passengers were huddled on deck, but notwithstanding wireless calls there, was no sign of help. The boats were quickly provisioned and lowered, women and children being taken first. When the fourth boat was being launched tho tackle gave way and all the occupants were Hung into the sea. Seven persons were drowned. Tho chief oliieer, Mr Paulino, plunged into tho sea and rescued thirteen. The captain remained with the ship till 2 o'clock in tho afternoon, when he decided to abandon it. , As there was no chance of the boats landing owing to tho heavy surf, they proceeded in a northerly direction, and Ibo survivors suffered much before being rescued through intense heat in the daytime and bitter cold at night. The Government authorities and residents of Mossamedes are doincr their utmost for (heir comfort. Government buildings have been placed at their disposal.