Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-17
Rescue Ship Reaches Horse
ISIand-Dory Containing 7
Men Sighted as 1t Struggles
Amid Waves.
FRISSELL, CAMERAMAN,
AND EXPLORER MISSING
Injur d Captain Tells of Being
Hurled IL Feet by Explosion.
Hulk of Craft Cremated by Bill
lows of Flame as Survivors Seek
Temporary Safety on Ice Floes.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland,
March 17.-Capt. Abram Kean,
skipper of the sealing vessel
Viking, which blew up and sank
of Horse Island with a loss of
at least % lives, declared this
afternoon, in his first coherent
statement since the disaster,
that the explosion occurred
while the crew were taking
powder from the kegs in the
ships magazine to be used in
blasting ice jams.
Copyright, 1919
BY the Associated Press.
ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland, March
IL Succor raced through ice-choked
White Bay today for the 11s known
survivors of the Barkentine Viking
which exploded at sea Sunday night.
The number of presumed dead stood
at between 20 and IS. The known
missing were eight-including Varick
FrisseI of New York, who was aboard
to make "shots" for a movie of the
sealing industry; A. E. Penrod of Water
bury, Conn, camerarnan, and Harry
Sargent, explorer, who. cast as the film
william" in the FrisSel picture. Others
missing were the wireless operator, the
navigator, cook, steward and the boat
swain.
The mate of the Viking was on the
ice with a broken leg
The lib known survivors, including
Capt. Abran Kean, jr., reached Horse
Island last night, walking ashore across
the ice. The condition of the captain
who was blown from the bridge Of the
Viking to the ice when the ship ex-
ploded, was believed serious. injury
among the others was not believed great
although all were in need Of the food
and warmth to be provided with the
arrival about ! pm. today of the rescue
ship carrying doctors and nurses. The
first ship to reach the scene was the
sealing steamer Ungava.
Seven Labor to Reach Island.
A dory containing seven men, five o.
whom appeared to be badly hurt, coulc
be seen at daylight four or five miles
of the island shore making laborec
efforts to reach the island.
It was hoped that the two rescue
steamers, Foundation Franklin and Sa-
coma. now nearing the scene, would bt
able to rescue these men. It is doubt
fuI whether they could reach the land
unaided, because of an off-shore wind
and their weakened condition.
The Newfoundland government re-
ceived the following message from the
island today:
Inhabitants of island are lodging
rescued men. Many badly injured anc
sick. Around IS announced dead. Was
speaking captain 10 o'clock last night
In very weak condition. He stated
engine staff, operator, navigator, cook
steward, movie men and bo'sun are
missing. Mate on ice, leg broken. On'
hundred and eighteen landed safely
Absence of medical aid severely felt"
Can't. Kean said he was on the bridge
when the explosion occurred.
Captain Hurled IL Feet.
ST was hurled about IL feet to the lei
and injured in the fall" he said.
All the others who reached Horse
Island were unhurt, although many
were in a weakened condition. Thu
rescue ship from the mainland wa!
not expected until l o'clock this after
noon and until then the survivors were
without food and were inadequatel!
housed.
IDere are no supplies dfalIaD4S vi
the island. The five houses there arr
crowded with those survivors whit
seemed most in need of the warmth
the dwellings provide.
The men in the forward part Of thu
ship Capt. Kean believes, escaped injur.
and were able to get of the craft ant
on TO the ice Those aft, however
were less fortunate. The explosion ap
reared to tear the rear Of the boat II
pieces. In the shadow light Of tn
night motionless forms could be seer
on the ice foes and cries for help wer'
heard.
Fire broke out, discouraging efforts o
some of the men to salvage persona
possessions Billowing smoke swep
across the ice as the 50-year old Vikinl
was cremated in the ice fields through
which it has plowed so many decades
The rescue ships dispatched were tn
sealgr Imogene, dispatched by Bowrin
Bros. Ltd, owners of the Viking; tn
tug Sagona and the salvage steame
foundation Franklin, which were sen
by the Newfoundland government. tn
Sagona and the Franklin carried doc
tors, nurses and medical supplies.
1t was the Viking on which FrlSse!
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