S.O.S.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 48, 19 October 1931, Page 3

S.O.S.

JAPANESE STEAMER MISSING IN "WORLD'S WORST FOG BELT"

DECK CARGO FOUND VANCOUVER, Saturday. A message from Portland (Oregon) states that the steamer President Jefferson, on which Colonel and Mrs Lindbergh are returning to the United States, is searching for the Japanese vessel, Yoran Maru, the last call received from her being an S.O.S. "We are now sinking." The President Jefferson has so far been unable to locate the stricken vessel, which it is feared carried to death a crew of 38, including 10 officers. The Yoran Maru left Portland for Shanghai with 10,000,000 feet of log wood and 8,100 tons of wheat. The last position given was 500 miles south-west of Dutch Harbour. There was then a stiff gale and a heavy sea. Later advice states that the deck loa'd of the Yoran Maru, which was reported to be sinking in the world's worst fog belt, south of the Western Alutian Islands, was found late on Friday afternoon by the President jefferson, but the Ayana Maru and the Taigen Maru both failed to find any trace of the xoran Maru. The stricken vessel had indicated earlier that she had lost her lumber deck load and according to messages received by the Mackay radio station, the President Jefferson reported that the visibility was poor owing to heavy rain and high seas.