FRENCH POLAR EXPEDITION

Evening Star, Issue 22447, 18 September 1936, Page 9

FRENCH POLAR EXPEDITION

ONLY ONE SURVIVOR WASHED ASHORE UNGOHSCIOUS Fret* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright COPENHAGEN, September 17. The Pourquoi Pas, with the French Polar expedition aboard, sailed from Reykjavik on the night of September 15, and immediately encountered a fierce storm, and was wrecked while apparently striving to return. Rescue vessels found only the mast above the water, i On board were Dr Charcot, the leader, seven French scientists, and 26 of a crew, all French. The only survivor, Eugene Gonedec, saved his life by clinging to a piece of wreckage on which he wag washed ashore unconscious, four miles from the wreck, and after nearly five hours in icy water. Gonedec stated: “The vessel ran aground at 5 a.m., and immediately sprang a leak. The engines stopped, and soon afterwards the boiler burst. Terrific seas broke over the decks, preventing the launching of lifeboats. I managed to swim ashore because I seized a piece of wreckage. The others were either washed overboard or trapped.” Dr Charcot wag known as the French Shackleton. PEREZ NOT ON BOARD PARIS, September 17. (Received September 18, at 1.30 a.m.) “ This is my last Polar voyage,” said Dr Charcot, on the eve of sailing with the expedition. It has now been established that Perez did not join the Pourquoi Pas, but instead hoarded a faster steamer for Copenhagen. WARM TRIBUTES TO DR CHARCOT (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 17. (Received September 18, at 1 p.m.) Warm tributes were paid in the Press to the work of Dr Charcot (the famous French Polar explorer and scientist), who was drowned off Iceland. The president of the Royal Geographical Society (Admiral Sir William Goodenough) described him as one of the most gallant of Polar explorers. [Dr Charcot, the French Antarctic explorer and physician, was born in 1867. In 1903-05, on board the Neuilly-sur-Seine, and in 1908-10, on tho Pourquoi Pas, he commanded two expeditions which carried out important work in mapping, sounding, etc., in the South Polar regions along the coasts of Graham Land, Alexander Land, and Deception Island.]