RACE WITH DEATH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3743, 19 January 1928, Page 4

RACE WITH DEATH.

THRILLING SEA RESCUE. EXPLOSION ON OIL TANKER. FIFTEEN MEN’S BLIGHT. ADRIFT ON SUNDERED SHIP. One of the strangest sea experiences of recent years was brought to a conclusion, happily without loss of life, when the Cromer lifeboat put into Yarmouth a few weeks ago. Aboard her were 15 men, who had been rescued after a long ordeal from the oil tanker Georgia. With the arrival of these seamen the mystery of the Geprgia was solved. Confusion had been caused by the seemingly contradictory reports that the sinking ship had not a soul aboard, and that 15 men had been left on her. It now appeared that the vessel had been blown in two. One portion of the wreckage, the stern, was driven by wind and waves to three miles off Cromer, wbere it was observed, no sailors being on it. The bows of the ship were carried to a point off the Haisborough Sands —16 miles away. It was from this wreckage that 15 men were rescued by the Dutch steamer Trent, which reported 15 others still aboard. The plight of the men had been a pitiable one. To save themselves from being washed overboard by the huge seas whielf broke upon the Avreckage they climbed as high as they could from the deck and lashed themselves to the rigging. In the \ r ery teeth of the gale they were exposed to the full blast of the wind, without means of securing food. Owing to the roughness of the seas the lifeboats that Avent to the aid of the men found it extremely difficult to get alongside. Separated from the Georgia by raging seas, the lifeboatmen could see the crew lashed aloft, and it Avas possible to count-the men, Avhicli gave the Avelcome intelligence that thus far no casualty had occurred. Would it be possible to reach them before they had succumbed to exposure? The race against death was Avon only just in time. The Cromer boat, Avhicli effected the rescue, had been much delayed oAving to the uncertainty as to the locality of-the wreck. The boat had been out for 3 hours searching the seas for the survivors, who, in vieAv of the previous reports, Avere believed' to have taken to the Georgia’s boats. At last, Avhen returning from their fruitless labours, the lifeboatmen obtained definite intelligence—from London. A telephoned message had been received instructing them to go Avith all speed to the Haisborough Sands, Avliere the Gorleston boat Avas standing by. Despite the arduous labours they had already performed, the men responded ■ to the call and made all speed to- the sands. They took with them quantities of oil, to assist'd getting through the heavy seas to the wreck. One by one the prisoners in the rigging Avere released ■from their precarious shelter and taken on to the lifeboat. It Avas night by the time they reached Yarmouth. They were extremely exhausted after their "ordeal. For 40 hours they had been Avithout fopd or water. Men of the Gorleston boat, although they were unable to reach the Georgia, had made gallant and repeated attempts to plough through the waves. All through the night they stood by hoping that the seas would abate and permit of an approach to be made, but the seas foiljed. them.. Again, when daAvn broke, urged on by the spectacle of the sailors in the rigging, they reneAved their efforts, but only to be beaten back. It Avas not possible to state how the Georgia came to be sundered in twain. If, as is suggested, an explosion Avas the cause, it must have •been a terrific one, and it Avas regarded as a matter for satisfaction that no casualties had to be reported;