Two More Ships Sunk

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 843, 11 December 1929, Page 9

Two More Ships Sunk

FIERCE GALES SWEEP SEA

Great Rescue in Atlantic

VOLUMNIA’S CREW GALLANTLY SAVED

British Official Wireless

A ReC |FTJT 11,5 a ’U RUGBY, Tuesday. SERIOUS view is taken in marine insurance market circles in London, of the losses suffered at sea during the great gales of the last five days. Although no ship of first importance has figured in the casualty reports, it is anticipated that claims resulting from the storm will be very heavy. It is estimated that about 100,000 tons of shipping have been lost, stranded, or in distress; but most of the vessels concerned are of the tramp class.

JJARELY have so many telegrams been posted at Lloyds as was the case when 200 relating to a large number of different ships were received. The full extent of the damage caused to shipping may not be known for over 12 months, for many of the vessels damaged have proceeded on their voyages, and will he repaired abroad. The most serious casualties reported yesterday were those of the Glasgow steamer Volumnia, which went down in the Atlantic, and the Italian steamer Chieri, which sank off Ushant. Those rescued from the latter were found to be clinging to the wreckage. The Voiumnia’s crew were saved by the steamer Manchester Regiment, whose captain has received many wireless messages congratulating him and his crew for their splendid rescue work. There was considerable anxiety regarding ten steam herring trawlers of Lowestoft, which were stormbound in the North Sea, and a broadcast appeal to vessels in the southern North Sea was made yesterday by wireless to keep a look-out for these vessels. It was revealed this morning that the captain of the Swedish steamer Frieda, whose dangerous plight off Deal caused anxiety yesterday, had been swept overboard by the gale and drowned. The Frieda had been run into while at anchor, and tugs were standing by when the captain was lost. The Frieda, which with great difficulty was boarded by lifeboatmen, was berthed at Dover this morning.

in the Channel, with which the pilot had to battle for four hours. The story of a stirring double rescue was told by the officers of the French salvage tug Iroise, 663 tons, of St. Nazaire, which jiut to sea on December 5 in search of the steamer Helen, which was reported to be in distress south of Ushant. The Helen’s hold was found to be full of water and her engines out of commission. The Iroise passed a cable on board, but it broke. While making for Brest in the darkness the Helen drifted rapidly toward the Armen Rocks and began to sink. The Iroise picked up the crew, with the exception of one officer. She had scarcely finished the rescue when she received an S.O.S. call from the Danish cargo ship Galdana, which she succeeded in bringing safely to port. The Iroise now set out again in reply to signals from the British steamers Alba, 860 tons, and Tynebridge, 4,360 tons, of West Hartlepool, and the Italian vessel Senatore D’Ali, 4,317 tons, of Trapani. ■ MORE GALES FORECAST REPORTS ABOUT DAMAGED SHIPS TRAWLERS’ SAFE RETURN British Official •Wireless Reed. 11.5 a.m. RUGBY, Tuesday. A renewal of the southerly gales caused by a very deep depression approaching from the Atlantic is, according to the weather forecast, likely to be severe on the south-west coast of Britain. Meanwhile, although a heavy swell has been running, an interval in the gale’s violence has enabled many ships to mend their steering-gear and continue their voyages, or make for ports when the damage was serious. The steamer Tynebridge, for instance, has repaired her steeringgear and cancelled a call for assistance. and is returning to Falmouth, lb' land one dead and two injured men. All except one of the overdue Lowestoft steam trawlers, which have been storm-bound in the North Sea, have now reported or arrived in port. Several vessels were disabled owing to damage to their steering-gear, and summoned assistance from tugs. During the day vessels in distress in the English Channel have also received assistance from great ocean liners. The British steamer Britannic, which was adrift yesterday off Pembrokeshire, was towed by a trawler, which stood by her for some hours before a cable could be passed owing to the gale.

SEVENTY-ONE DEATHS

STORM RAVAGES FRENCH SHIPPING STIRRING DOUBLE RESCUE Britislt Official IVireless Reed. noon. PARIS, Tuesday. Seventy-one seamen are feared to have been drowned in the present storm in the Channel and on the Atla.ntie Coasts. Two of a crowd on the Dieppe land-ing-stage, watching the arrival of a steamer, were washed off by a huge wave and disappeared. A trawler has picked up six survivors from the Italian steamer Chieri, which sank off Ushant. Forty members of her crew were drowned. A newspaper airplane reached Le Bourget yesterday in spite of the gale