The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-07-09
FOUR SURVIVE
OF 800 ABOARD
WRECKED SHIP
Chilean Transport Grounds on
Reefs in Storm and Goes
to Pieces
CAPTAIN SHOOTS SELF
Passenger List Made Up Of
Laborers and Families
Going to Mines

Santiago. Chile. July 9.-CF-Of
some three hundred persons who
were aboard the army transport at
Gamos only four were alive today
to tell how the vessel had pounded to
pieces on the rocks. The catastrophe
which claimed upwards Of 800 lives
occurred at Punta Chimpel, near tho
South Chilean coast town Of Lebu,
Friday night.
The captain unable to avert dis
aster, committed suicide on the
bridge. Eighty bodies were found
on the beach near Coronel but the
exact number who perished probably
will never be known since after leav-
ing Punta Arenas with 291 persons
aboard the ~essel made several stops
en- route picking up additional pass
engers.
The ship had been loading mater
ial for the Chilean navy in the Gulf
of Arauco when . storm broke late
in the afternoon. The vessel left the
bay to ride it out. For several hours
she struggled against wind and
wave and was oadly battered. The
heavy seas smashed the rudder. The
ship started to drift toward the
breakers. Frantic appeals for help
were sent out. None came. At 10
p. m. the vessel crashed on the rocks
about 300 yards from the shore.
Life Boats Capsize
Frantic attempts to launch life
boats were made. They capsized as
soon as they were lowered into the
tremendous seas. Their human
freight was tossed on the rocks by
the breakers or drawn back into the
angry sea.
Men, women and children perished
in the sea while others remained
huddled on the deck crying piteous-
~ and in vain for help. Through
the roar Of the storm, the shrill
blasts Of the ships whistle sounded
continuously, calling for aid. Above
the bedlam tho sharp report az Com
mander Ismael Suarez' pistol rang
out and he fell dead at his post on
the bridge.
The vessel had filled rapidly with
water and three hours after she
struck was virtually buried under
the waves. Then the ship broke in
two and the few who remained
aboard were thrown into the sea.
One Of the survivors, Jose Aguila,
an army conscript, said in hospital
at Belen:
my companions and l were saved
only because God is great. The
only thing l remember is that after
being thrown into the water I
clutched a floating timber. A huge
wave raised me thirty feet into the
air and dashed me against q rock.
l do not recall what took place aft
erward. When I recovered con-
sciousness. I found myself, stark
naked, sprawled upon the beach,"
Dramatic Escapes
Another survivor, Andreas Car
rillo, a sailor, said he could not ex-
plain how he was saved. After be-
ing cast on the beach naked, Carril-
10 made his way to the nearest
house.
He was refused admittance, the
inhabitants thinking him a tramp.
After an hour of argument he con-
vinced the housewife that he really
needed assistance. After q brief
rest they set olt in search Of other
survivors. They found three ARMY
conscripts, Aguila, Humberto Sepul-
veda and Humberto Diaz, all naked.
The passengers aboard the Anga-
mos included laborers and their fam
lilies en- route to the nitrate fields
in the north. It is understood that
several government officials and
their families were also aboard the
vessel. When leaving Punta Arenas,
and before additional passengers
were taken aboard, there were 215
members Of the crew and 76 passen-
gers on the vessel.
Public funeral services will be
held at Conception on Tuesday. The
flags Of the provincial government
buildings and the consulate were
flying at half mast TODAY.