S.O.S. CALL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21279, 24 February 1939, Page 7

S.O.S. CALL

REPORTED ATTACK BY SUBMARINES MARINE CIRCLES BAFFLED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright Received February 23, 8.40 p.m.) LONDON, February 23. The Portishead radio station picked up an SOS message from a ship which gave the call sign “P E C C,” and its position 32 degrees 10 minutes north, 37 degrees, 45 minutes west, stating it had been torpedoed by a submarine and was sinking. The call sign, which is not recorded in Marine registers, resembles the signs allocated to Dutch ships, but Lloyds state it is not likely to be a Dutch vessel. They are investigating the possibility c its bein’* Ewedlsb. There is also the possibility that the SOS was from the British tanker Pecten, which left Trinidad ci. February 8, and was due at Southampton on February 27. NO SIGN OF WRECKAGE SEARCH BY BIG LINER United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received February 23, 8.40 p.m.) LONDON, February 23. A New York message states that the SOS was picked up by an American ship, and relayed to i nearby radio station. It cannot be determined from the records” whether the vessel is the Dutch Flandria or the Belgian Flandres. The Empress of Australia, which was closest to the position given by wireless reached the spot to-night (Wednesday), but reported no sign of wreckage. REPORTED SIGHTING OF SUBMARINE NO LIGHT ON ATLANTIC MYSTERY United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright (Received February 24, 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, February 23 The owners of the Pecten discounted the rumours that the Pecten was involved in the Atlantic mystery. They said she was miles from the locality. Lloyds state that the Pecten was last reported on the 19th, 150 miles southwest of the Azores. A message from the Azores states that a steamer arriving on the 17th reorted two submarines of unknown nationality, south of Fayal Island.