SHIP BLOWN UP

Southland Times, Issue 21264, 10 December 1930, Page 7

SHIP BLOWN UP

FOURTEEN KILLED SALVAGING DISASTER MUNITIONS EXPLODE VESSEL SUNK IN 1918 (United Press Assn.—Dy Talegraph—Copyright.) Paris, December 8. The famous Italian salvage ship Artiglio, which has been used to recover the treasure from the liner Egypt, was blown up, 14 persons being killed and seven sent to hospital. The explosion occurred when clearing some wreckage in the Channel off Quibcron, and the vessel sank immediately. Two divers who were working at the time were cut off and drowned. Their bodies wore later recovered. The explosion was due to the ignition of several hundred tons of explosives on tho wrecked Florence, on which the divers were working. The Artiglio was 100 yards from the freighter, but the explosion was so violent that she was blown to pieces. Further Details. The Times correspondent at Lorient, describing the explosion on the wrecked Florence, gives an eye-witness’s terse account: “An enormous column of smoke and water rose up 900 ft. When it cleared away the Artiglio was gone.” Fourteen who perished with her included the world’s best, known divers. The Artiglio, after suspending work on the Egypt in the autumn, remained in French waters in readiness for the resumption of the task of divers dynamiting their way to the Egypt’s strongroom, which is filled with £1,000,000 worth of gold, at the earliest possible date in 1931. Meanwhile, with her consort Rostro she undertook miscellaneous salvaging in sheltered-waters. One job was to clear the wreck of tho Florence, which was sunk in 1918 with a cargo of munitions from America. The ship was lying in 50ft of water with her masts protruding. The divers decided to demolish her as safely as possible with explosives. They completed all preparations yesterday when they placed charges about the wreck. The Artiglio retired 100 yards, which was as far as the electric wires connected with the charges would permit. Shots were fired, but tho effects had been miscalculated and the whole of the Florence’s munitions blew up. Violent Upheaval. What followed is uncertain. The detonation was so violent that it either caused the ignition of explosives aboard the Artiglio or a colossal upheaval of water instantly engulfed her. The Rostro, which was anchored in the vicinity, rushed up and rescued seven survivors, four of whom are seriously injured. Captain Bcrtholotto and three divers, Gianni, Franccsshi and Bargellini, were among those on deck and were probably killed by the explosion. The engineroom staff and others below had no chance to escape. Gianni and Franccsshi each had 20 years’ experience in rubber suit diving before using the special deep sea apparatus. Bargellini had 24 years’ experience. All weighed 15 stone with enormous muscular development. They spent the greater part of the last two years roaming the sea bed locating the Egypt. All leave widows and children.

The Artiglio was insured for £35,000. She was fitted with valuable plant. Guisoppi Gagli, the wireless operator on board the Artiglio, interviewed in hospital, said the ship seemed suddenly to leap into the air. He was tossed over several times while in the air and could see tho ship’s fragments falling into a boiling cauldron. Gagli explained that dynamite bombs were placed in tho after hold of the Florence in expectation that they would merely blow the hull of the wreck asunder; instead apparently the whole cargo of several hundred tons of munitions blew up.