Collision at Sea.

Manawatu Herald, 16 July 1903, Page 2

Collision at Sea.

OVER 100 LIVES*LOST. TERRIBLE SCENES? WIT-1' NEBBED. A despatch from Marseilles, France of June 7, says that more than a hundred people perished to-day by a collision between the Insulaire' and Liban, passenger steamers belonging to the Fraissenet Steanlahip Cora* pany. The Liban left San , Francisco on June 25th, on a regular trip to Bastia, Corsica. She was run down and sank by the Insulaire off Maire Islands. The collision was witnessed from the pilot boat Blecamp, two miles away. The Bleoanip hastened to render assistance. The collision out a great bole in the side of the Liban. The captain tried-to run the vessel aground, but seventeen minutes after the collision, while still in deep water, the fore, part of the steamer plunged - beneath the waves* A few minutes later the vessel disappeared. • Meanwhile other vessels drew up and made desperate efforts to rescue the sufferers. . The Blecamp picked up forty persons, and the Balkan rescued thirtyseven officers. The scene just before the Liban disappeared was terrible. As the vessel sank it inclined to such an angle that the masts struck the water causing an eddy, which made the work of rescue very difficult. A mass of human beings , clung to the foundering vessel, uttering despairing cries as it went down. At the same time the boilers exploded, intensifying the horrors. , For a few minutes the victims were seen struggling in the sea; then the waves closed over them. Of two hundred passengers on the Liban, it is feared half were drowned. It is stated the Liban was putting to sea as the Insulaire was making port. Maire Island, off the entrance bid the vessels from each other till too lata to avoid collision. 1 A passenger says all the passengers were below at the tables when the shrieking of whistles gave the alarm. Coming on deck, I saw the Insulaire approaching at full speed. The captain gave several orders. Apparently no attempt was made to change the course of the ship. Some of the passengers reproached the captain When the crash came a panic prevailed Attempts were made to lower the boats, but only one got away, and on that I and a few others escaped. As the vessel sank bow -first the passengers took refuge in the 'after deck, which was covered by an. awning. This, as the Liban foundered, became a sage, in which the people were caught and dragged beneath the waters.