SHIPPING DISASTER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8175, 7 August 1906, Page 3

SHIPPING DISASTER

SINKING OF AN EMIGRANT SHIP. 800 ITALIAN EMIGRANTS ABOARD. A FEARFUL PANIC. OFFICERS AND CREW OVER COME. Bc.vived <>, 10.3S p.m. Lonios, August (>.

The Itali m steamer Sirio, from Genoa for li.ienos Avres, with eight hundred emigrants, struck trie ilarmigas shoals, eighteen miles from Carta gena, and sank stern first within thirty minutes.

[ A fearful panic ensued Many jumped into the sea. The Italian emigrants completely lost their self control, and fought with knives and revolvers for the life belts and boats' and completely] overcame the officers and crew, who were trying to save the women and children. FEARED 300 LIVES LOST. NUMBER OF KESCUEHS DROWNED.

Keceired C, 10.38 p.m. London, August ti. Tlie soa was quite calin at the time of the catastrophe. Fishing boats put oit to the rescue. Several Were overioaJcd with emigrants anil sank, drowning the would-be rescuers. The Captain shot himself when he the ship and boats in possession of the immigrants. The officers then abandoned the ship. It is feared fully three hundred were drowned, including the Archb.shop of San Pedro, Brazil, who was svept away while blessing the drowning people. Another Bishop was saved.

It is alleged the wreck was due to the Ciptain's imprudence in going too near the shoa'.s to save time.

A stea ner picked up a baby floating lis ye and well. S line of the steamer's boats were safely lauachel. Numbers of drowning persons tried to cling to the gunwales, but the o-cupants beat them ofE with hatchets.