ON FIRE AT SEA.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18638, 17 May 1932, Page 7

ON FIRE AT SEA.

LARGE MODERN LINER. VESSELS HURRY TO RESCUE PASSENQERB TAKE TO BOATS. The modern French liner, Georges Phllllpar, trading between China and Marseilles, caught fire In the Red Sea and has been abandoned. She had upwards of GOO passengers and crew on board, most of whom have been rescued. Speedy response was made to the 8.0.5. calls, and the sea being oalm, resoue works were comparatively easy. Incendiarism Is suspeoted as the owners have reoeived threats from Chinese Communists. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received May 17, 9.10 a.m.) ADEN, May 16. The latest Messageries Maritime liner, the twenty-one thousand tonner Georges Phillipar (launched in 1930), bound to Marseilles from China is afire five miles from Cape Guardafui. , The 600 passengers have abandoned the ship, three being badly burnt. The Hakone Maru, when hurrying to the scene, passed an empty lifeboat. The loss of life is not yet known. The Otrante and Kaiser-i-Hind are racing to pick up the passengers. The Liverpool vessels, Mahsud and Contractor and the Russian Naptha ship Sovietskala have already arrived. 263 RESCUED. HOPE FOR THE OTHERS. PROBABLY ON RUSSIAN VESSEL. United press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received May 17, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, May. 16. The abandoned hulk of the Georges Phillipar had by sundown drifted 20 miles of Guardafui. Water was hissing in steam from her blistering sides. It cannot yet be said whether the entire company has been saved, though it is 'hoped they are distributee amongst the rescuing vessels. Two British steamers, the Contractor and tho Mahsud, are hastening to port with respectively 129 and 134 survivors aboard. The Phillapar’s commander, Captain Vicvq and 400 others are believed *to be aboard the Russian tanker Sovletskaia, whose wireless operators are “tongue-tied” by the difference in language and they are unable to communicate details. ONE WOMAN SUCCUMBS. SEA FORTUNATELY CALM. ALL PANIC ALLAYED. United Pres 3 Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyrlgnt. (Received May 17, 12.35 a.m.) LONDON, May 16. The steamer Mahsud has sent a Wireless message that a woman passenger succumbed to burns and was buried at sea. The steamer Hakone Maru encountered an empty lifeboat, indicating that the Phrillpars company had taken to the boats before the arrival of other ships, some of which are said to have picked up 300 persons from lifeboats and rafts which were adrift. A calm sea facilitated the rescue work. The outbreak was discovered amidships on entering tho Red Sea before daybreak, but distress signals were •withheld because Captain Vicq believed that Aden could be reached before the flames got out of control. Their fierce headway, however, being fed by inflammable paintwork fiittings of the luxury liner created a desperate situation. The first “ S.O.S. ” was sent out al 5.54 a.m. The Contractor, .Mahsud and Sovietskaia which were all in the neighbourhood, exerted every ounce of power and used their wireless to announce their approach, which allayed any tendency lo panic. They arrived on the scene at. breakfast time and at once devoted themselves to rescue work.

OIL A SOURCE OF PERIL. 675 REPORTED SAFE. PROBABLY A TOTAL LOSS. United press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received May 17, 1.45 p.m.) LONDON, May 16. The latest details give the number of passengers at 500, a large proportion being tlie wives and families of Frenchmen in the Far East returning on leave. The great stores of oil fuel on board were a terrible source of peril. The French Ministry of Marine has been informed Mint 675 passengers ami crow have been rescued including Dr. Szc the Ghinese delegate to the League of Nations who was travelling from Shanghai. A director says the vessel was fully insured, but will probably be a total loss. INCENDIARISM SUSPECTED. CHINESE COMMUNISTS’ THREATS. United Press Assn.— b>e". Tel. Copyright. (Received May 17, 1.5 p.\n.) LONDON. May 16. The owners of the Pliillipar suspect incendiarism. As they had been threatened by Chinese Communists, a careful search for bombs was made at every port of cail.