Hero of Sea Rescues

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 571, 25 January 1929, Page 9

Hero of Sea Rescues

Captain Fried’s Latest Exploit

Saved Crew of Sinking Florida

ALREADY famous for his rescue of the crew of the sinking British liner Antinoe three years ago. Captain George Fried, captain of the liner America, has further added to his record of heroic seamanship by saving the Italian steamrer Florida’s crew, taking the 32 men off in a howling gale in mid-Atlantic.

(United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service)

Reed. 9.5 a.m. NEW YORK, Thursday. The rescue has been effected of the crew of 32 men on board the Italian cargo steamer Florida, which was yesterday reported to be in distress about 700 miles off* Norfolk, Virginia. A wireless message from Captain George Fried, in charge of the liner America, says his crew rescued the Florida's complement in an hoar at great risk. A full gale was blowing and tremendous seas were running. The laconic message ended: “A lifeboat was lost. We are proceeding. Details later.” It is questionable how the lifeboats could have survived the great seas, but if any men were lost with the lifeboat it is evident they must have been some of the rescuers. At present it is not known whether there was any loss of life. Captain Fried said his chief officer, Mr. Manning, was in charge of the rescue work. He must have performed wonders of seamanship in such a pressure of wind. An earlier wireless message from the captain of the America said he was stanc®ng by the Florida, which he had located more thaji 700 miles off Virginia Capes. Her lifeboats had been completely shattered and her rudder was broken so that her position could not be controlled in the heavy seas which were then abating. The crew of the Florida was suffering from cold and exposure to the water, which was menacing the sodden hulk. Captain Fried said he had experienced great difficulty in reaching the crippled vessel, as she had no wireless. His discovery of her is further proof of his exceptional skill as a mariner. FEAT OF SEAMANSHIP It was Captain Fried who, in January, 1926, turned his ship, the President Roosevelt, to aid the sinking British liner Antinoe, holding his ship alongside for two days, rescuing the

crew and losing two of his own men. Twenty years ago another s-earner, named Florida, also an italian, figured in the first sea tragedy in which the major part was played oy wireless. Jack Binns, the youthful operator, stuck to his post on the White Star liner Republic until the Baltic had rescued all the passengers and crew of the Republic and the Florida, which had collided, while half a dozen other vessels, answering its call, were racing to their aid. The American oil-tanker Dannedaike reported that sufficient repairs had been effected to enable her to creep slowly toward Bermuda. She is believed to be safe at present, but is being watched continually. The President Harrison and the Yorclt have abandoned their search for her owing to lack of fuel. 40 DROWNED IN CHINA STEAMER FOUNDERS CASTAWAYS IN OPEN BOAT (United Service) SHANGHAI, Thursday. The Chinese steamer Heng An, bound from Tsingtao with a cargo of coal and 60 passengers and crew on board, foundered outside Shanghai on Monday at 1 a.m. Nineteen castaways, who had spent three days in an open boat and been exposed to a northerly blizzard, were rescued this morning. A report states that the Russian captain of the vessel was seized by the chief officer at the last moment and thrown into a lifeboat. He regained his ship, however, having decided to go down with her. Forty persons were drowned. The remainder were brought to port suffering from collapse and cold. They had been without water and food.