A RESCUE AT SEA.
THREE MEN IN A TANK
A pas'sengcr on board the Lloyd Trestino steamer Pilsna has told a .strange story of privation and self-sacrifice after a disaster at sea. His story is as follows: —
When about 300 miles from Bombay on November 24 the commander sighted a curious object two miles away, altered course, and came upon what looked like a buoy/vith two men on top,'one of whom was waving with a coloured cloth. It proved to be a water-tank and, in addition to"the two men on top, 1 liore were two men and a boy inside. All were exhausted, but eventually recovered except the boy, who died on reaching the dock of the Pilsna. They were the Reis (skipper) and part of the crew of a schooner which had become water-logged in a storm on November 11th off the Kathiawar coast. Having no boats, .the party launched two water-tanks, each Bft l<Tg, 4ft broad and sft deep. The Reis and seven of his ship’s company, including his Ime sons, aged eight, ten and .fifteen, went in one tank, the remaining six in the other. The survivors said that the only provisions taken were 21b of biscuits' and the small quantity of fresh water they had left in the .bottom of the tank was soon spoiled by over-lap-ping waves. The party endured great privations, but never gave up hope. The youngest r.on died after three days, the second and a nephew died later, but the Reis refused to put tlu-ir bodies overboard until two clays before the rescue, as he was hoping eventually to give them decent burial according to Moslem rites.
The Reis himself had had no food during- the gale for two days lief ore abandoning his ship and refused .to touch the biscuits in Iho tank, using them solely in trying to keep his sons alive. Sharks were attracted to the tank after the first death and frightened the exhausted men by trying to overturn it. Nothing has been heard of the fate of Ihe other tank.
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Shannon News, 6 March 1928, Page 3
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343A RESCUE AT SEA. Shannon News, 6 March 1928, Page 3
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