MISSING NUMBER 291

Chronicle (Levin), 21 January 1947, Page 5

MISSING NUMBER 291

Press Assn

Mere Survivors of Greek Shipping Disaster CHARGES AGAINST CREW

By Telegraph

.-Copyrighi

Reeeived Tuesday, 11.15 a.m. LONDON, Jan. 20. More survivors of the Heimara (cabled yesterday as Chimarra), the passenger ship which struck a mine in Greek .waters on January 19 and sank, have been found at scattered points along the coast of Greece and the missing now number 291. state reports from Athens. The British United Press' Athens correspondent says the Greek Admiralty has ordered an investigation into the eonTiet of the offieers and erew of me Heimara as a result of charges by survivors that offieers boarded the lifeboats after preventing passengers from doing so. Offieials said it had not yet been determined whether the sinking was due to a mine or an interior explosion. Divers would examine the wreck. The Greek Navy Minister, M. Demetrios Londos, said it was unlikely that a loose mine caused the disaster, because minesweepers long' ago completed tlieir task of clearing Greek waters. The erew eriticised the Admiralty for allowing the Heimara to sail at night through a swept minefield ehannel onlv a mile wide. "Packecl Like Sardmes" The Athens correspondent of the Associated Press quotes survivors as saying that the passengers were packed like sardines. There were screams oi' terror as they tried, in " the moonless darkness. to force a way to the decks. The Heimara lurched and then listed acutely before sinking. Many of the passengers jumped overboard. The wireless operator said there was "hellisli disorder." He. with the 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 theirlives. The operator said that in the mad scramble at least one lifeboat was swamped and the occupants were all drowned. Ke estimated that there were 200 women and children among the passengers. The Heimara which is described as a former German hospital ship, was proceeding in a swept ehannel, and it is supposed that. a gale detaclied the mine from a German nimefleld. It is reported that some of the survivors from the Heimara aliege sabotage aimed at Prince Paul's ( ntoitrage. The cantain is quoted &>-. saying that the explosion came from within the ship. The survivors said among those sboard when the ship went down were 40 captured guerrillas who were in ehains in the ship's hold.