DISASTER

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1931, Page 7

DISASTER

CHINA STATION COLLISION ESCAPE APPARATUS USED TWO MEN DIE ON SURFACE LITTLE HOPE FOR RESCUE British Wireless. Rugby, June 10. After hours of search by other naval vessels, the submarine Poseidon, which was sunk on the China Station, was located by a grapnel last night. Attempts to-day are being made to raise her by air pressure. The submarine was struck by the Chinese steamship Yuta, of 953 tons. A HongKong message states that the collision occurred in a dense fog. The wreck has been located lying in 20 fathoms. Six men had extremely fortunate escapes by the use of the submarine escape apparatus. The efficiency with which this worlat is indicated by the fact that two men came to the surface two a'nd a quarter hours, and four three and a quarter hours after the collision. Apparently they had somehow managed to free themselves from the terrible position down below.

It is stated that bubbles were seen coming from- the wreck when it was located. It is impossible to state at present whether any real hope can be entertained of saving the men below. There is a fajnt hope that they may be in an airtight compartment, but the suddenness of the collision does not encourage that hope. Mr. A. V. Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty, in a statement in the House of Commons, said that the Commander-in-Chief in China, who had proceeded to Wei-hai-woi, reported that the total number how saved and alive was five officers and 30 men. Two more ratings whb came to the surface had died, and 18 ratings were missing. AU the survivors had been picked up by the Yuta shortly after the collision with the exception of six ratings who escaped from the wreck by means of the escape apparatus. Of these two subsequently died and one was in a critical condition. These men were in the fire compartment of the submarine when she sank. Mr. Alexander was sure that all members of the House of Commons would wish to associate themselves with the message of heartfelt sympathy which the Admiralty had sent to the relatives.

Latest advices received by the Admiralty state that the Poseidon was sunk in a collision whilst operating on the surface in full buoyancy. The vessel was holed to starboard, forward of the conning tower, and sank by the bow in about two miputes. The majority of the crew were able to escape by the conning tower hatch. Divers are now working in from 115 to 120 feet of water.

The new submarine escape apparatus referred to is the invention of a London man, Mr. R. J. Davis. It resembles a life-belt with a gasmask attached. It is 12 months since the apparatus was first served out as part of the equipment of submarine crews. Each man served is fully trained in its use. This is the first time disaster has befallen a submarine equipped with the apparatus. A breathing bag, to which a small cylinder of compressed oxygen is attached, is strapped on the chest and acts as a lifebuoy. NO SIGNALS FROM SUBMARINE. DRAMATIC RESCUE UNLIKELY. Rec. 10.50 p.m. Hongkong, June 11. The naval authorities deny the -report that signals have been received from a man trapped in the submarine, stating that there was no response to the divers’ tapping. Dramatic rescues are extremely unlikely.