Evening star., 1931-06-16
FLYERS SEE BODIES
FLOATING ON SURF
French Boat Ordered Raised
in Search for Victims En-
trapped by Wreck.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, June 16.-Minister Of the
Navy Charles Dumont today acted on
the request Of Minister Of Marine de
Chappe DsIaine, now at Nantes, to raise
the sunken steamer st. Philibert from
the bottom of the Bay Of Biscay. The
latter had pointed out that a great
number Of bodies must still be aboard.
AS soon as the weather clears sal-
wage vessels viii try to raise the St.
Philibert, which lies about 10 fathoms
down.
Seaplanes reported sighting q number
Of bodies on the mouth Of the Loire
this morning, but the water was still
rough and muddy and tugboats which
went out to pick them up could not see
them.
Lifeguards along the beaches at re-
sorts as far as IS miles from the place
where the st. Philibert went down re-
ported today that half dozen bodies
had been washed up In the surf.
Bodies Of 20 Recovered.
Eight army trucks, driven by young
soldiers, started for Nantes on o 36.mile
ride with the bodies of 20 persons fished
out of the Bay of Biscay yesterday.
They were placed In plain wooden boxes
and their clothes were on to facilitate
identification.
1t was decided to open the coffns
in Nantes this afternoon so that the
bereaved could begin the difncult task
of claiming their beloved ones.
Oh1cials Of the operating company
determined that 474, including the crew
but excluding children under years
old, were aboard the vessel when she
left Nantes Sunday for q picnic at
Noirmoutier Island. Forty-three pas
sengers declined to make the return
trip on account of stormy weather and
8 were rescued after the boat went down
near the mouth Of the Loire River.
Thus the number of the dead, un-
officially, was placed at least at 423
It was estimated that so youngsters
who paid no fares were aboard and
were lost.
Eight young men who were saved
were resting comfortably in a hospital
and were believed to be on the road to
health.
The city of Nantes alone lost 36s citi-
zens from the industrial class. One
family Of mother, father, four daugh-
ters and two sons was completely wiped
out. Dozens Of families of four, five
and six members perished together.
There was hardly a resident who did
not have relative or friend aboard the
vessel. The entire city was in mourning
Castle Transformed Into Chapel.
Search for the remaining bodies was
conducted by tugs, trawlers and smaller
craft, aided by two seaplanes circling
above.
The castle Of the Dukes of Brittany,
Of which the Breton people are so proud,
has been transformed overnight into q
funeral chapel, where the bodies of the
victims will rest until they are trans
ported TO their native cities. OF the
20 bodies recovered 81 were women, one
was boy of about II and two were
men, who were identified.
MesSageries de L'Ouest, operators Of
the st. Philibert, have refused all in
formation on the tragedy except to say
that 467 tickets were sold for the ex-
curslon. Customs agents at Noirmoutier
nave said that 420 persons landed from
the boat plus about 40 children under z
years Of age.
The survivors estimated that about
200 were caught in cabins and salons
when the steamer turned over
The shore line along st. Gildas Point
was again lined with anxious friends
and relatives who watched two govern
ment hydroplanes swoop over the Bay
of Biscay on the lookout for victims.
Reports that bodies were becoming dis
lodged from the hulk caused many to
comb the coast in the hope that they
might find their missing ones washed
ashore.
Foreign Minister Aristide BRAND. who
Is native Of Nantes, sent q message
OF sympathy to that city and other con-
dolences were received from all parts of
France.