THE CHANNEL COLLISION

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 128, 28 February 1928, Page 9

THE CHANNEL COLLISION

TRAGIC MISUNDERSTANDING MYSTERY CLEARED UP MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF SOLE SURVIVOR Rugby, February 26. Late last night the Russian cadet ship 'Tovarisch, badly damaged, was towed into Southampton carrying one survivor of the crew of 21 of the Italian steamer Alcantara with which she collided in a fog between Hastings and Folkstone. This survivor was found after the collision clinging to the chains of the Russian ship's bowsprit, from which he was rescued uninjured. Steamers and tugs searched the sea all through Friday night and yesterday but failed to find any other survivors on floating wreckage. Aeroplanes also coursed over the waters on a fruitless errand. A lifebuoy marked Alcantara, to which was lashed a dead body, was picked up last night near Dungeness. An empty lifeboat of the Italian ship and two lifebuoys have also been washed ashore near Rve Harbour

It appears that assistance for the ships was delayed bv an unfortunate misunderstanding. The commander of the coastguard station at Sandgate says that he received an SOS from the Russian vessel on Friday night, and he telephoned to the lifeboats at Dungeness and Rye Harbour to proceed to the scene. The SOS was followed almost immediately, however, by' wireless message from the Russian vessel to the effect that she was all right and not in need of help. This gave the impression that all was well and the coastguard commander had no idea that the Italian ship had gone down. Later the Peninsular and Oriental liner Moldavia sent a message stating that she had seen wreckage bearing the name Alcantara. Then immediately lifeboats from both Dungeness and Rye Harbour put out to find onlywreckage of the Alcantara and no sign of any survivors.—British Official Wireless. SOLE SURVIVOR’S STORY ALCANTARA SINKS IN THREE MINUTES By Telegraph.—Press association. Copyright. London, February 26. Giovanni Pavon, the engineer of the Alcantara and sole survivor, was found standing at the quayside at Southampton, gazing at the battered Tovarisch. He said that it was dark with a strong breeze. The engines were reduced to 7{. knots. The chief engineer came down and said that the captain had ordered him to stand-by’ because there was terrible danger. A tremendous crash followed, accompanied by groans and curses. The chief engineer shouted, “All hands on deck!” “I rushed up,” said Pavon. “It was pitch-dark. There was no fog. The Alcantara reeled. I saw the stem of the Tovarisch wedged in her starboard quarter. I ran to the engine-room stairs, vainly calling the mate. Two tremendous reports denoted the explosion of the boilers. I grasped the Tovarisch’s bowsprit chain. The Alcantara sank in three minutes. A Russian hauled me up. The Tovarisch played a searchlight and lowered boats.”—A.P.A. and “Sun.” (Rec. February 27, 7.55 p.m.) London, February 27. Pavon, who is barely five feet in height, had an astonishing escape. He was thrown across the engine-room by the force of the collision, picked himself up half dead, and struggled on the deck which was already under water. Half walking and half swimming, Pavon managed to clutch a chain on the Tovarisch’s bowsprit just as the Alcantara sank stern first. Pavon held on for ten minutes until a Russian sailor climbed along the bowsprit and lowered a lifebelt on a rope. Pavon was then hauled aboard.

Aeroplanes and fishing boats have been searching for hours for possible survivors, but so far without result, though two bodies wearing lifebelts have been recovered. The captain of the Tovarisch indignantlv denies that he is responsible for the cancellation of the SOS signal.