CHINESE RIVER TRAGEDY

Chronicle (Levin), 6 December 1948, Page 5

CHINESE RIVER TRAGEDY

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter*

Thousand.s Perish When Steamer Sinks

coryright J

- Reecived Sunday, 7 p.m. SHANGHAI, Dec, 5. Abouf 3000 refugees from Cenfrai China are feared drown'ed today vriien an over loaded river steanxer, the Lviangjra (2099 tohs), sank after an Oxplosi'on. • - • • ■ . . , The United Fre'ss- quoted the owners of the sldp as saying Communist saboteurs in junks att&ehed explosives to the vessePs stefn'- but'- other shipping uien are inclined to blame overstrained boilersi" Seven- hundred surviVofs arrived at Shanghai with v'arying 'taies of how many were- aboard>- the "'estiinates running from 2000 to 4000. United Press estimates say 2300* perished. Thfe As- | sodiated Press says more than 3000 were drowned. The Kiangya was jammed with residents of Nanking and Shanghai seeking safety in Chekiang. province." Reuter 's Shanghai correspondent says the Kiangya sank after the explosion while trying to avoid running into two junks. Local authorities discount Chinese. reports attributing the mishap to Communist saboteurs. "The steamer islisted to carry 2200 pasengers but the number aboard is unknown berause of a last minute rush by evaeuees without tiekets. Many passengers were killed by the explosion and otherg when a. stampede developed on deck where many were sleeping. The explosion disabled the wireless and the first distress signal was. senf 40 minutes later by a passing steamer. A fleet of tugs and launches ferried passengers to shore from the pa'rtiaily submerged wreck. Onlv. 700 arrived at Shanghai, but others are believed dispersed along the ten miles of shore.