SURVIVORS REACH HORSE ISLAND

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 84, 18 March 1931, Page 5

SURVIVORS REACH HORSE ISLAND

LOSS OF SEALING VESSEL t > SUDDEN EXPLOSION AND FIRE TWENTY-FIVE STILL MISSING Reed. 9 a.m. ST. JOHNS (Newfoundland), March 17. CAPTAIN ABRAM KEAN and 117 men of the sealing steamer Viking, exploded and sank off Horse Island on Sunday night, with the loss of some 25 lives, have 'reached the island. Among the missing are Varick Frissell, of New York, and his companions, A. E. Penrod Russell, Harry „ Sargent, tlyi explorer, Captain W. Kennedy, the navigator, J. Murphy, the chief engineer, F. Parnell, second engineer, H. Hanniford, third engineer, Dr. W. J. Roach, ship’s physician. C. King, wireless operator, S. Ulett, steward.

• The mate, Alfred Kean, is still on thfc Ice with a' broken leg. A misslrfg‘ dory containing seven men, five appearing badly hurt* was seen at qdayllght on Tuesday, five miles off. labouring to reach Horse Island. Their success is doubtful, us there are only five houses on the island, and no supplies are available until the arrival of the rescue ship. Captain Kean, who is in a weak condition, was on the bridge at the time -of ‘the explosion. He stated he was hurled 12 feet to the ice and injured. Most of the men were in their berths when a terrific explosion of -an unexplained cause occurred. Many were thrown from the berths; others to the deck, and the. ship went dart*.- -• '• t.. ~ The men forward apparently escaped the explosion, which appeared to tear the aft portion,to pieces. Motionless forms could be seen on the icb-floes, and cries for help were heard as the fire broke ouf.