CO129-495 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [11-12] — Page 90

3, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1926.

DARING PIRACY

BY CHINESE.

BRITISH STEAMER

SET ON FIRE.

WHITE WOMEN SEIZED. (FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)

HONG-KONG, Nov. 16. The most sensational case of piracy since the Taion affair in April, 1914, is reported. The British steamer Sunning (2,555 tons), belonging to the China Navigation Company, which left Shanghai on Thursday last, was seized by pirates hear Swatow. The officers resisted, and the chief officer was seriously wounded. The pirates thereafter set the ship on fire and decamped in boats, taking two white women as hostages. One of these women has since been rescued.

From wireless messages received here it appears that the pirates travelled as passengers on the Sunning, and seized the ship early this morning, after she had left Amoy. They apparently disabled the engines and the wireless apparatus. A Japanese ship sighted the drifting and burning vessel, and went to her help. In response to her wireless calls, H.M.S. Bluebell, which was going to Swatow, also arrived, and found the Sunning heavily afire. Approach was difficult owing to a strong wind and heavy seas. Finally, communication was established, and it was found that the Sunning had been seized by pirates. After wounding the chief officer the pirates got away in beats, taking with them a number of hostages, including two European women passen- gers. The Bluebell placed an armed guard on board the Sunning, who searched the vessel for more pirates, arresting nine.

SEARCH FOR PIRATES.

Other steamers arrived, and, the fre having been subdued, the Bluebell left them to tow the Sunning here, while she set off in search of the pirates. She found a boatload, in which were ten pirates, one of whom jumped overboard and was drowned.

exer-

On the news being received here, H.M. shipa Vindictive and Despatch left to take part in the search, while four seaplanes from H.M.S. Hermes, which was cising in Mirs Bay, also set out. The sex- planes found an empty lifeboat, and later the Norwegian steamer Ravensjell re- ported picking up a boat containing the Sunning's second officer, third engineer,, angi Vizslass operator, two Chinese quarter masters, and one foreign woman passenger. Owing to heavy seas the Sunning is not expected to reach Hong-kong until to-inorrow.

87

Page 90Page 91