MISADVENTURES OF TUG IN CENTRAL PACIFIC

Chronicle (Levin), 8 October 1947, Page 5

MISADVENTURES OF TUG IN CENTRAL PACIFIC

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^ Reuter ,

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Lucsuav, 9.4;> p.m. PHARL lIAIiHOUR, Oct. 7. T'huics iind siuTacc c iaft are conl inuing i lie limg searcli for t'our surplus inii!i's\M'('|icrs lashed together with tliref walcliDipn aboard, which had to in- a^t adril't from ihe lugboat Edward (iriiiiiii, while b'eing towed from Norfolk. Virginia, to Manihi last luonth*. lnii ilins far they liave failed to iind ai:y i- 1 u «' o f their fate. A -ories of misad venture* was ro vealol wlii'ii the storv of the tragedy was piei-ed together todav from vhrious i-niin'i's. iin'luding reports from the tn^'s skipper, Kenneth Ainslie, of Svdney. A ! 1 went weil until September 24 wln-n ihe Uig's iMiyiiie stopped th rough hu-k oi" fuel iu'iu l'almyra, more tlian liMin inile- -outh of I'earl llarbour. Ainslie. by using everv drojt of fuel ahoard imdudiiig oi 1 drained from ihe eook "s sto\e, got u'.ider way again and reaelied l'almyra Imt liad to eut the swcepors adrift oll'shnre. The uatchmen aboard had fooil and water for ten days and also a lifelioat coiitaining some iron ratiims. Tlu* tug, after refuelling at l'almyra, returiied to pirk uj> the sweepers whiidi were without power, but tliey had \ anislied. Tlu- tug, liuuting for tliem in i-ireles. rau aground on a reef but was retloat i*«l. After a week's seareh the tug reiurned to l'silinyra and appealed l'or Xavy help. The crew, while the skipper was ashore, eaught and ate tropical lish. Ali oi lliem immediately becaine violently ill. Oue Filipino dietl and eight otheis wero admilted to liospital. Xaval men fear that ihe eurrents mound l'almyra may have earried the -ueepers more than 5"l) miies from wiieie tliey were last seea.