ABANDONED

Hokitika Guardian, 13 November 1928, Page 5

ABANDONED

STEAMER VEST BIS

ASSISTANCE BEING RUSHED

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright'.

(Received this day at 10 a.in.) NEW YOBK. November 12

'l’he wireless operator of the steamer Yestris sent an S.O.S. .shortly after ten o’clock this morning and continued to send frantic appeals for over three hours. The last message received at 12.6, bearing Captain Carey’s signaturel, read : “ Wo are now abandoning the ship. We are taking to the lifeboats.'’

Kurflier word stated the passengers wore first sent in the lifeboats, while the captain and a skeleton crew remained aboard the vessel until all hope was abandoned.

A series of messages throughout the morning intimated the wireless operator was holding 1 1 is post despite the fact that towards the end the vessel was likely to sink any minute, but no word Inis yet been received as to the cause (.if the disaster. The vessel was hound to Buenos Aires from New York. NEW YORK. November 12.

The Lamport Holt liner Yestris is sinking three hundred miles off I lampton Roads. The passengers number 160 and the crew 210.

They abandoned the ship at 1.25p.m. on Monday and the first assistance was expected at 5 p.m. The sea is rough. Among the passengers is W. W. Davies, formerly American correspondent for the Australian Press Association and now representative of the Lanacion at Buenos Aires. Within it few minutes after the first distress call was received, there began a dramatic race to reach the stricken ship. Seven vessels were speeding towards the spot within an hour, including the United States warship Wyoming.

The cosntguard destroyer Davis was nearest the scene, but was almost u hundred miles away tit one o’clock and with fires under forced draught could not arrive there for three hours at the earliest, and probably later. Nrt other vessel could possibly roach the spot before five or six o’clock, indicating that the passengers and the crew must occttpv tin 1 ship's boats' in what the messages describe as a “ inoderatolv rough sea,” several hours before the hope nif rescue. I ator advices, however, indicate that the Japanese steamship Ohio .Marti is nearer than the destroyer Davis and is likelv to resell'the vicinity hv lour o’clock.

ft also transpires the Yestris gradually settled over to starboard until the angle was so groat that it was with difficulty that the passengers mustered on deck and in the cabins wearing life preservers, could maintain a footing.

RUSHING TO RESCUE

LAST MESSAGE RECEIVED

NEW YORK, November 12

The last message received from the Vestris was at 1.25 p.m. when the operator announced lie was joining the passengers and crews, who already wore in the boats. Previous messages told of the great danger, the ship lying on her side and decks awash, as the passengers lelt. Nothing was said indicating the cause of the distress. Apparently there had been no collision. Ihe theory that the trouble was due. to the shifting of the cargo is supported by the fact that the week-end storm would have caused considerable tossing. Reports indicate the conditions are serious. The rescue steamers are delayed by rough water. The coastguard destroyer Davis is expected to he the first to roach the scene about 5 p.m. The weather bureau reports it is not stormy to-day, but it is bolieyed the waves are running high, 'from the severe blow on Sunday. It is feared the small boats will be scattered by the time the rescue steamers arrive, and with chirk ness approaching the outlook is not pleasant. A dozen steamers and numerous Government craft arc racing to the scene.

CAUSE OK ACCIDENT. NEW YORK, November 12. Information received by coastguard headquarters indicates the accident to the Vestris probably was caused by the cargo shifting. Major Inouyo, Japanese Consul at Buenos Aires, was among the passengers. The abandonment of the vessel began at. 12.50 and lasted thirty-live minutes with seas running high as the small boats put-out. The captain notified the destroyer Davis that just prior leaving seas were washing over the decks.