1959-07-04 — Page 6

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1950.

COLLISION COURSE A DOOMED LUXURY SHIP SENDS OUT HER DESPERATE PLEA FOR HELP.

SOS...We need

The rescue liner's captain takes his hardest decision

IN the radio room of the Andrea Doria protracted

seconds ticked by. Her first appeal for help had gone out. Then the answers came flooding in. There were ships not too far away.

The radio crew of the Italian luxury liner knew that aboard all those ships the messages were being handed to the captains; that other officers would be working out the distances from the list- ing, sinking Doria.

Nearest schip of all, apart from the Swedish her Stockholm with which the Dorin het been in collision on the last stage of her Atlantic crossing to New York, was the United Fruit Cum- pany's ruga skógi Cupe Ann.

This 12-year-old Treighter carried only one radio man, and

he Chattes Pailla, had closed down the radio room at 10 p.m.

I had not falled, however, to set the radio's auto ularn

on 500 lloryelés. That is the wavelength used for distress calls, Any incruing message on that

wavelength automatically trip- rers off the akurm akmal.

A 1828 Eln was reading

in bed in his cabin next to the ratio room when the signal

shrill alarm went of like Cloek.

Flinging his book Balde, Fall dashed lo his radio

For the listing, sinking Italian liner Andrea Doria, the and was only hours away. No one could guess how many hours. Half her lifeboats could not be launched. Would the rescue ships arrivo in time... and would they have enough boats?

by ALVIN MOSCOW

judgment of a hysterical captain.

But the question was: Was the e de France herself need- and fur the rescue? He was under no rigid legal, obligation, When other Ships were receiver in time to catch the known to be going to the aid of The distressed ship. It was, lets

discretion the the

of a ship's master whether to respond to an SUS.

lle

message from the Doria. Did not know that he was lo an the start of the biggest revrie operation since the Tilanie.

The strength and clarity at the signals told Failla that the Care Ann was close by the din-tress seent, A swift check a the distance at 151⁄2 miles.

The Cape Ann's Joseph A.

Boats..boats..

Was

de Beaudean Cuplain captain, fully aware of the moral de- of the tradition of the Boyd, telephoned so ands engine room for maximum sea, but he al realised the sed and then sounded general emendous expense of turnin

back his firel-hungry old ship. quarters to alert his crew.

To rescue

He would have a good deal

the

Captain de Braudeon himself remained riveted at the radar, without which he would have on a mun rushing through the aight with his eyes shut,

Alternately he cursed

which obgured the bow of

hig Dwn

prayet! and that God in His mercy would in the fog before he reached the Andres Doria.

h

While the radio room of the Andrea Doria humaned with messages, the launching of the ship's own lifeboats had already largun. About half the liner's crew, 300 men, swarmed reand a starboard side of the ship in furious effort to launch the Hifeboats there.

These buats could hotel only hair of the 1,700 abcard the

M heavily later:

she Wog

the of explaining to do to the listing that the Bons on French LADE if he steamed port side, the "high" Eide, back to the Dorla and then could not be swung over the found the Te was not needed, side,

As the Cape Ann pounded to The rescue, Fuilla thought the

Yet, If the He terre needed. men on the hallan luxury liner would be happy to leam that

the French Line would never I was a Muestion his action. the Cape Ann expected to be on

complex deelsinn, but his alone The 2001.

to take. He was, after all, the But bank came the query

vode master after Gach of the 1. Doria: How many fcealer Failla answered: Two, lic de France, and the Doria radioed back;

Jumala to przenate, 1,000 porn- pris and 160 crew. We need beats.

Knowing

shop

that

other 2018 -slanger turmediate, Keed masters would understand his gurdicament le derided to ask the Doria direetly if the Iler Were neded, ile sent his ship's position ag at 1140, and asked ke Doria; Do you need assist. once?

The dilemma

It would not be true to say that every ship in the area res panded t lt Doria's S05 with

RH a moments hesilation.

scrambled

Tense

In atmosphere tense with because of the apprehension far of cagasizing, the men on to the starboard boats and frantically tore away the bindings, hooks, and blocks which secured the bonts to the davits.

This was done in remarkable privacy for a crowded ship.

Few passengers actually saw The lowering of the boats. Instinctively, The passengers bad ↑ The Doria in reply repeated gone to this port side, the high its original and seemingly water side of the without hesitation

with distress message

the canted ship, and those who did NEED IMMEDIATE wander to the tower side were words

But the Ile, directed by the eriw to to ASSISTANCE. because of some quirk in radio the high side. communication, did not receive

s message,

The responsibility on a ship's master and the wir upon his nerves when he rust sieelde tu pul caution side to risk the Eafely of his ship and parsan- Captain de Beaudem turnest ners in diverting his ship from to the Stockholm for advice,

al the Stockholm speed through a

course

Jammed

Was

TiO

explain There

Jinmediate thick fog in the hope of alding radiocti back that he in good stampede by passengers for the a sister ship in distress-this conscience could not send his boats. Buí Captain" Magugħini, Cut he truly estimated or lifebouts to the Doria until he staff coptula of the Tallan liner describet by men öskörr,

was assured! of the safety of and No. 2 to her master, Captain The burlen of responsibility

Stockholm passengers, Calama, hnd other troubles, borne by The master of Inspection of damage on the

The Andres Doria's abandon- Treighter, a tanker, or a trans- Stockholm and not been con ship plan provided for the part does not weigh as heavily pleted But the He monitored pustengers to be led from their

stations as it does upon the captain of fudio messages of other ships, muster

the pro- a perstuger liner.

and it DN Ivening clear the

menade deck, where there were lifeboot-branding stations which would normally provide on rusy, one-step-down approach to beats.

The dude mat who was Durla needed Hfeboats, as mony probably must troubled by as the could get. Freeiving the SOS

Burun itsoul

was th Beaudeun,

helldug replaceinent master of thexenerable French Blore

Full speed

Ile de France, earrging 940 Once his decision was made, passengers and a crew of 826 Captain the Deandesh, who had from New York to Le Havre, takes command ot. The fle de

Captain de Benudean was at the radar when his radio officer, Plerte Allanet, burst into the quiet wheelhouse with news of immedisaster.

He had picked up an 309

from the Andrea Doria BS relayed by an unidentified ship al 11.00 p.m. Captain de Bezadean

looked message:

Need assistance."

tire

Immediate

Knowing he was not fur trom the stone, he sent the radio ollicer back for more Information and went into the charlroom to fix the position of his ship, Returning with more Intercepted messages, the radio- man told him that the Doria had. collided with the Stockholm, that verut chips were rushing to the scene,

Captain de Beaudean pon- dered the warnt vlilermann of his 35-year carour: to go on to France or to itur buck to the rescue.

France unly a month before, acted swiftly and surely.

He swing the 7930. end in a wide circle and

to

But the collision and 1st had —brought—abou-entirely-fore.

seen circumstances,

shly.

direct coure to the scene

of the disaster 44 miles away

From the Doria, no answer

"Aro came to his inquiry:

yuti

sinking? BUL radio nina Failla on the Cape: AD, worrectly surmislug the difi- cutty, relayed; SOB'meSSAFE

Not only were the part side rebont useless; of the eight lifeboats hanging in a line on the starboard side the 'first' two were, funmed in davits near the hole in the side of

thrill and could not be

lowered away from the Kap. When the remaining six big bouls were lowered one by ane from their davits they swung far from the side of the listing chip.

-Doria wants to discosburk Out of sight

1,000 Passengers and CTCW. Suurest strongly you Bave alt

your reboats ready to assisi. It was impossible to secure The captain telephoned to the them to the side of the ship ut engine room for full speed the Promenade Douk to. taku shead mud set about preparing board passengers. Staff Cop- for the rescue operation ahead, thin: Mugugnlui, deputy to Captain Calamal, still wearing the pyjamas in which he had hurried from his cabin, saw fie would have lo ulter the abundon-ship plan.

He gave orders for the pre- paration of lifeboats and the selecting of crews.

Ship's Doctor Michel Delafon was advised to prepare the ship's hospital for ou unknown number

After consulting with Captain injured.

The siewards Caltanut, the hurried Magaguin! department was sent scurrying, gave the signal to lower the He could hardly believe that for extra blankets. Chefs were tekoals to the sea without modern liner like the Andrea told to start preparing food and passengers. The boat crews, Dorla actually was

sinking, vals of hot coffeo and bouillon, made

up of deckhands ami Nothing in any of the radio

trained stewards, swarmed into Messages mentioned sinking.

the lifeboats.

Yet there was the 60s and The book, Collbaton Course, There was no crbct counting the call for immediate azolat- £zwe witch

stries Is of the men, Those who crewed are. He could. mut lightly, adapted, will be bublished in the port side lifeboats as well diamiss the SOS es « mirinho in šešiada by Ayutmata,

as those on the starboard alde

warmed abonrá being lowered.

the lifeboats

Captain Magagnini authorised Byr extra men for each of the hosts, which normally called for

crew of 20. The extra mien were to help handle the lines and the now difficult task of taking passengers aboard.

Jacob's ladders, shackled to the deck at each feboat pool- Unli

and stored folded inside ench bont,

auto- unrolled matically down the side of the

the starboard ship is

boats were lowered to the sun,

Lout No. 9 to round up the olher boats and to direct them lack to the ship.

lifeboats

11 the down because

Then he saw the lights of to determine U Halian Roer drawing were closer and larger in the night. collision. The it

Doria Wan

drifug dirvolly for the crushed bow of the Stockhole as if neek- ing vengeance,

The offers agreed that would be best to concentrate the

tendon-ship operation au the open decks of the stern, which were closer to the sea than the high boat deck.

Vengeance!

to

Magagnini set his men work finding all available ropes, fire-hose pipes, and hawsers, by which passengers could climb down to the boats.

Coplay Nordenson, wasting no time in trying to get out of the way plunged the levers of the pine telegraph to full speed aern, and shouted to the helmsman for a hard star- board turn.

Phe move.

anchors

of the

But the engines were opera:- ing normally, the wheel seemed undamaged,

The crew tried

to bring order to the ble. But

they

Weye outrum- bered by ter- Tified, hysteri

Passengers,

cel

the bridge was simple enough. The chain locker, situated in front of the collision bulkhead, The had been smashed open, two anchor chains had unwouha Their Full 700 length and had Langled aná and the five-and- apparently

something on the -if-ton anchors were still in caught on place, but had been smashed ocean bed some 250ft. below "thes The Stockholm was into the wrecked side of the ship. ship's bow.

moored to the bottom of thin OCCAD

Helpless, Captain Nordenkon stared at the drifting Dorla, He pink face changed to a deep d as his blood pressure rose, Then the Doria fleated by.

Puzzled

It One hour and five minuten

Peder Larsen swung the helm and the ship began lo vibrate The reboats, operated by

n the engines started, but the passed the Sinrkholm bow by after the collision, the Stock- pumping hand levers back

The task of getting the ship did not turn, and, as the less than one-third of a mile, holm received an appeal from the Andrea Doria with all the and forth which turned the Andrea Doria's passengers away mach soon discovered, neither did drifting away out of control. propellers, were sooner in had begun.

When the danger of a second earmarks of cooperation:

ARE ONE MILE "KOU *Daxt the water than they were pro-

As the Andrea Dorla came on, collidom Was

Captain All the time the Andrea Doria

DS, PLEASE, IF POS pelled beyond the danger of was slowly drifting. And aboard the bridge of the Stockholn Nordenson sent word forward. FROM

The the inclining ship and out of the Stockholm Captain Norenson was thrown into turmoil.

to the bow that he wanted on SIBIE, COME IMMEDIATELY sight in the fog.

first noticed the change in the cugine room was called, the explanation why the Stockholm TO PICK UP OUR PASSEN- Captain

be moved. The GERB.-MASTER." Mugagnini sent lip's retulive positions on his helm was checked, the flood- could not

(Continued on paro 7) Officer Franchini. in radar.

gls were beamed on the bow explanation reported back to

Second

FOUR D. JONES

ULP! GULP! YEENH!! GREAT BLACK CREEPIN' MONSTERS, OH MY GOSH

JU143

HALP

•

CURSES, HE'S SEEN US, NOW WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE IM WIVUS. COME ON CYRIL, LETS 30 AN' GET 'IM.

BRICK BRADFORD

THE SATELLITE SHIP PERFORME PERFECTLY... DR. EASTLAND PLOTS THE COURSE AND BRICK STICKS TOUT

FERDINAND

RIGHT HO! HENRY LAD,

I'M WIY YOU

BOY.

COMIN AFTER

YAH! THEY'RE

ME HALD!

DAYS LATERAL

"LOOK NO WHISKERS

* FOUND A KNIFE

THATS AS SHARP AS-ATAR

I'VE FOUND BOKETNING, TELDİ | WERE BOINS TO BE VERY SHORT ON FOOD!

by MADDOCKS

GOTIM, OKAY

OPEN UP AVRIL

"FINE, I'LL JUST PULL

THIS LEVER DOWN

REMEMBER, WE - ACTUALLY STOLE. THIS SHIP! IT HAD ENOUSH RATIONS $ FOR ITS PROPOSED TRIP, BUT NOT FOR THE ROUNDABOUT WAY WE'RE GOINS!

By Paul Norris

V PLEASE, BRICK, DONT BAY STOLE) CARNEST PEOPLE FOR THAT

OF THING...ABOUT THIS) KNIFE! ITS VERY SHARY YOU CAN GET BY WITH- OUT WATER... WARE VERY LOW ON THAT

TIDOJ

NEW

Lody Sheaffer

POLARAK YEN

Never Ballena SOLITAIN

pen to opress our personal

·Lasta in One Jabralty. Darvaz

kan ik beste... 'same drop-in carizkigui uf Grip welting fuld.

AKTER PARIN OBUSTA

San Miguel

BREWED

in

HONG KONG

By Mik

ewlyweds prefer

SWISSAIR

THE KIMLINE DE SWITZERAND