THETIS DISASTER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 April 1940, Page 6

THETIS DISASTER

REPORT OF COMMISSION OF INQUIRY circumstances remain obscure. SIX IMPORTANT FACTS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, April 4. The report of the inquiry into the sinking of the submarine Thetis has been issued. It recounts that a train of persistent ill-fortune dogged the vessel. Mr Justice Bucknill tabulates six facts which, acting in sequence, produced the full extent of the disaster. (1) The complete blocking of a testcock in the rear door of No. 5 torpedotube with bitumastic enamel.

(2) The opening of the rear door when the bowcap was open. This would have been harmless with the bowcap shut, but with the bowcap open it. was suicidal. This act was.the immediate cause of the disaster. There is no direct evidence to show why, when, or by whom Ihe bowcap was opened. Possibly it crept open when the power was turned on and continued until it came wide open.

(3) The failure effectively Io close the watertight bulkhead door. (Il Tile failure ,T those aboard Io refloat her. (51 Tim tmliirc <>l wsislnnce from outside. (6.) Failure i<> escape from the I Thetis. I The report corieludos: "The absence of so many who, if alive, might explain the reason-: for ihe disaster leaves much that is doubtful and obscure. There is nothing doubtful about t’ne way all those aboard behaved.” While undergoing acceptance trials the Thetis, a new submarine, failed io return to the surface after diving 14 miles from Great Orme's Hoad on June 1 last year. Salvage equipment was rushed io the spot, and four men were picked up. including the flotilla commander. All of those rescued escaped by the Davis apparatus. Further escapes were presented by an unknown cause and despite every effort to lift the vessel, the remainder on board, numbering 99 and including representatives of the constructors, were lost. On August 28 the Thetis was lifted, and towed Si miles towards the ■ shore, and on the following day she | was carried a further six miles eventually being beached half a mile from , the shore of Anglesey, and towed ashore on the coast.