GREEK SHIP STRIKES A MINE, SINKS IN TWENTY MINUTES AND MANY PERISH

Wanganui Chronicle, 21 January 1947, Page 5

GREEK SHIP STRIKES A MINE, SINKS IN TWENTY MINUTES AND MANY PERISH

OFFICIAL FIGURES SAY THAT 386 PEOPLE ARE MISSING

Received 11.10 p.m. LONDON. Jan. 20 The Greek Ministry of Marine reports that 386 people- are still missing as a result of a Greek passenger ship, the Chinarra, striking a mine 15 miles east of Athens yesterday. There were 612 people on board, passengers and crew, and only 226 have been accounted for so far.

The Chinarra, a converted cor- 1 vette, was bound for Piraeus. The vessel, which struck the mine in the 'Channel separating the Attica province and Euboea, about two miles north of Rafina ?;id 15 miles east of Athens, sank in 20 minutes.

The explosion blew off the port Ik>w. The electric light failed and the steamer began listing heavily. No SOS. was sent as the wireless was put out of action. The master of a caique which went to the rescue reported that the vessel sank, leaving a number of corpses and a mass of debris floating on the water. Destroyers and other salvage vessels have left for the scene.

MANY SERIOUSLY INJURED Several survivors of the Chinarra have so far arrived in Athens. Seven of them seriously injured were admitted to hospital. Some of the passengers, including two girls, swam ashore. The rescuers worked in extremely difficult conditions. A high sea was running, and it is feared that other mines may be drifting in the area of the search. The Associated Press Athens correspondent quotes survivors as saying that the passengers were packed like sardines. There were screams o’ terror as they tried in the moonless darkness to force force their way to the decks. The Chinarra lurched, then listed acutely before sinking. Many of the passengers jumped overboard.

The wireless operator said: “There was hellish disorder.” He, with the l

captain and the first and second mates, were the last to leave the ship. They all swam for several hours before they got hold of some barrels, which saved their lives. MAD SCRAMBLE The radio operator said that in a mad scramble at least one lifeboat was swamped and the occupants all drowned. He estimated that there were 200 women and children among the passengers. Reuter’s correspondent says that the Greek destroyer Miaoilis, four landing craft, a corvette and planes are searching the area. The Chinarra, which is described as a former German hospital ship, of 1500 tons, was proceeding in a swept channel. It is believed that a gale detached a mine from a German minefield. Survivors said that among those aboard when the ship went down were 40 captured guerrillas, who were in chains in the ship’s hold.