EXPEDITION DISASTER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19123, 18 September 1936, Page 7

EXPEDITION DISASTER

SOLE SURVIVOR’S STORY LOSS OF 33 LIVES LONDON, Sept- 17. Further details of the disaster which overtook the Pourquoi Pas, xvhich was wrecked on the coast of Iceland when carrying the French polar expedition under the command of Dr. J. -B. Charcot, show that, as far as can be ascertained, 33 lives were lost. A message from Copenhagen states that the, Pourquoi Pas sailed from Reykjavik on Tuesday night and immediately encountered a fierce storm and was wrecked, while apparently striving to return. Rescue vessels found only her masts above water. Aboard were Dr. Charcot and seven French scientists and 26 of a crew, all French. The- only survivor. Eugene Gonedec, saved bis life by clinging to a piece of wreckage on which he was washed ashore unconscious, four miles from the scene of the wreck, after being nearly five hours in the icy water. Gonedec stated : “The vessel ran aground at 5 a.m. and immediately sprang a leak. The engines stopped soon afterwards, and the boiler burst. Terrific seas broke over the decks, preventing the launching of the lifeboats. I managed to get asliore, because I seized a piece of wreckage. Others were either washed overboard or trapped.”

A message from Paris states that, on the- eve of sailing, Dr. Charcot, who was known as the French Shackleton, stated : “This is my last Polar voyage. As already reported, Dr. Charcot sailed for Anginagsalik during the present summer to bring back to France Robert oess,ai and Michal Perez, who, with Paul Emile Victor, intended to cross Greenland by sleigh and carry out, scientific investigations.

It, is now established that hi. Perez had not joined tho Pourqjuoi l’as with hi. Bessai as was formerly believed. Instead he, boarded a faster steamer lor Copenhagen.