Europa Breaks Moorings In Storm

Chronicle (Levin), 11 December 1946, Page 5

Europa Breaks Moorings In Storm

Press Assn.-

refloatng will take year

By Telegraph .

■Copyrighi

Received Tuesdav, 7 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 9. The liner Europa, of 50,000 tons, broke her moorings in a storm and sank iu Le Havre dock basin at noon. Whe is now aground, with niuch of lier superstructure above the water. A Erench Line oiiicial, after two surveys, reported that it would detinitely be possible to refloat the Europa. The ship, which Frauce received as war reparations i'rom Germauy, was rechristened the Liberta when she arrived at Le Havre in Julv. Ehe was being reJitted for the Atlantic trade, in which she once held tlie Blue Ribaiul. The Europa was moored hroadside on to a southeast gale, and when her moorings parted she was swept aeross the basin. She collided with the liulk ot the sunken liner Paris and a gaping hole was torn in her side at engine room level. Tlie crew* reniained aboard through the night and kept tlie puxnps going unlil the Jist forced theni to abandon ship. Reuter's correspondent at Le Ilavrcsays the Europa almost capsized. She had a 40-degree list when the tide turned this morning, but the ship retaineu suthcient buoyaucy to respond slowlt until she was almost upright. By noon ofticials were able to make preliminary investigations. Every mariue pump is being rushed to Le Havre. In a storm that lasted all night Le Havre sufl'ered a number of casualties. Enuice 's largest tanker, the Palmyre, of ]4,0(J0 tons, broke her moorings, but tugs reached her just in time. A Pnited States naval patrol launch crashed into a bridge and sank inside the lock.