LOST IN TYPHOON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17033, 5 May 1923, Page 1

LOST IN TYPHOON.

AMY TURNER’S FATE. SURVIVORS' DREADFUL EXPERIENCE. By Telegraph—Pres* Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. MANILA, May 3. The survivors of the brigantine Amy Turner, Charles west (a mate who wa* working his passage as a seaman), Cliff Cornish, boatswain), V. Tracy, and Frank Lindliolm, have arrived here, and have given an acoount of the disaster. They state that on March 23 the brigantine encountered a typhoon, which swept the ship out of its course. On March 26, in raging seas and wind, all the capvas waa stripped from the vessel, wh%oh floated close to Guam, but her distress signals were not noticed. The ship drifted away again, and the storm intensified, reaching its height on the morning of March 27. The Amy Turner was now badly battered, and her pumps were manned constantly. About noon, the seams opened, and the ship sank suddenly. Two boats were launcheed, but Cantain Xeilson and his wife stood oa the poop as the vessel nose-dived, and were not seen again. One boat, with nine persons aboar 1 capsized. Only one of the occupants (Lindholm) was a swimmer, and he reached the remaining boat, which already had three in it. The bo it headed for the Philippines. Its provisions consisted of tinned goods ai).t water, which were sparingly apportioned. On the fourteenth day out, they caught a dolphin, which helped to spin out the food supply. The men took watches at bailing and steering. On the twenty-sixth day the water became exhausted, and a single tin of meat remained. That night it rained, and next day they made land and reached Port Surigao, almost naked, and in an exh&nsted condition. constabulary supplied them with food and clothing. The British Consul at Manil* is sending the men to Melbourne. West saved the ship’s log. but could save nothing else. SUFFERING, PRIVATION AND HEROISM. MANILA, M»y 3. “ Hand in hand on the poop deck of the Amy Turner stood the captain and his wife, as the vessel foundered in a typhoon off Guam on March 23.” 1 his is the story told by Charles West, one of the four survivors. A terrible, dramatic ' tale they tell of suffering, privation and heroism. The vessel ran into a storm on March 23, and for four days it was buffeted bj the seas, which slowly but surely filtered in to the hatches. The worked the pumps desperately, but - * vessel became waterlogged, and on the fourth day it was decided to abandon the ship. The crew prepared two small boats for launching, and asked Captain Neilson and his wife to join them. The latter refused. The crew then launched the boats. Three men got into one. and nine into the other, which was the longer. Mountainous seas capsized the latter, and seven of its occupants were drowned. The eighth occupant (Frank Lindholm) accomplished a remarkable swimming feat, keeping himself afloat for a considerable time before he reached the smaller boat and was hauled aboard. Their shirts were used in rigging a small sail for them when the storm calmed, but they were faced with a vast, terrifying, flat sea, limitless and uncharted, and foT twenty-eight days they sailed the expanse without better indication of direction than the ana and stars. They had a small supply of tinned meats, which was ratiened on a starvation basis and for a time the orew quarrelled, for they had insufficient to eat and little to drink. But the ration system was maintained, despite desperate pains. Then the tinned meat ran out, and later the drinking water. Thirst drove one man to attempt to leap into the sea, but he was restrained, and after four days’ thirst a squall blew up that threatened to> upeet the boat. But with the squall came heavy rain, and they refilled their cask. Dav stretched after day without a vessel in sight. They were off the beaten marine paths, and the situation looked black, until suddenly, at sunrise, land hove in sight. It was Surigao. The boat touched the shorn and the castaways were received by th« people. The provincial commander supplied them with clothes and housed them, tnd after they had rested and irander had telegraphed to ManYNPfor instructions, the survivors were aent to a Manila, where they arrived to-day. I The British Consul paid the cost of the transportation to Manila of the survivors, and they will sail to Australia on Monday.