SHARKS ATTACK SAILORS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 45, 16 November 1937, Page 5

SHARKS ATTACK SAILORS

l^ress Assn.

Survivors oi Wreck Off Virginia Coast A HORRIBLE SIGHT

iBv Telegrapb

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(Received 10, 8.45 a.m.) NORFOLK (Virginia), Nov. 14. The coqstguard cutter Mendota rescued 14 survivors from the Tzenny Ohandris, which sank in the storm on Saturday. Two of them were wearing1 lifebelts and had: flailed the waters for hours on end to Ward off sharks, which devoured the carcases of sheep and goats from the steamei^ while an amphibian plane piloted by Lieutenant Burke guided the Mendota to the spot by dropping smokebombs until lack of petrol forced it to fly back. Smoke flarea from another plane led the Mendota to a lifeboat containing another 13 survivors. The rescued at present total 21. Lieutenant Burke reported sigkting five bodies, four of which were reoovered. Three from ^he Tzemiy Uhandris are, therefore, still missing. Lieutenant Burke said: "We had been flying over the scene for two hours when we saw five dead bodies floating. We then sighted two Wearing lifebelts. One waved feebly to us. The other, bobbing up and down apd kickmg his feet, seemed to h%ve' lots .of pep. Then wo were horrified to see. sharks 15 feet away going towards the men. "The 'peppy' one seemed to sense the danger and was attempting to keep them off. Every where We looked there were sharks and more sharks. We dropped smoke bombs and zoomed over the men to attract the Mendota and also to frighten the sharks. "Wo had about decided to chance a landing to attempt a rescue when the Mendota launched a boat. It was a horrible and gruesome sight. It is not known how many are missing or were eaten by sharks. I did not see any, but another pilot said he saw sharks tearing bodies. Many empty lifebelts were floatjng there.. "Owing to the high sea, it would have been dangerous to land, but we would have chanced it. if the Mendota had not outraced the sharks." The vessel sank in ten mlnutes after being abandoned.