British tarrier Holed In Collision Fighting Against Violent Gale

Chronicle (Levin), 19 October 1949, Page 5

British tarrier Holed In Collision Fighting Against Violent Gale

Received Wednesday, 10.30 a.m. LONDON, October 18. With water pouring in throtigh a 15-foot gash in -its hull, the new British aircraft carrier H.M.S. Albion is tonight fighting the violent south-wester'ly gale that is lashing*most of the British I'sles.

The Albion, holed in a collision with the collier Maystone '(3025 tons) near.the Farne Islands early today is being towed by two. tugs with the British destroyer St. Jafties standing by. The signal flashed to the Admiralty tonight reported that the Albion was broadside on to the wind, and was drifting north knd dragging the tugs With it. A later inessage from the destroyer St. James said that the sea was still pouring into the Albion, which already had about five feet of water in. its engine-room. The signal added, however, that the Albion was not in- any irnmediate danger and 20 of the carrier's crew were still aboard. A naval spokesman in Edinburgh said tonight that the Albion was in "tremendous difficulties." Its position is ten miles off St. Abbs Head, near the Firth of Forth. Twenty Men Missing. Meanwhile, hope is being abandoned for the 20 men missing from the Maystone, which sank just after the collision with its radio pleading for help. I A lifeboat from Holy Island and a plane scoured the area of the collision for hours, but found no trace of the missing men. The lifeboat crew reported: "We didh't see eVen as much as a cork.'? | Four of the Maystone 's crew were picked up by the Albion, which at the time of the collision was be-

ing towed by three tugs" to -the naval base at Rosyth;. Scotland. The Albion, one of Britai'n's n6West aircraft carriers, is., stiil Ullcompletedi t Gale Lashes Britain. ;The gale that is tearing at the Albion is giving most of the British Isles the worst weather for six months. In Southampton the new 34,000ton luxury liner Caronia, crunched against the quay wall while beirig ^erthed, denting two plat.es, and injuring three passengers. Nearby .in .tfee Solent, a British Overseas Airways flying-boat going to South Africa With 33 passengers aboard wrenched a float off while takiing in the choppy waters. Torrential rains flooded the railway lines in West Scotland. In i Wales a main highway is three feet i under water. The Orkney Islands are isolated.