Evening star., 1951-12-29
Atlantic Storm
Sinking 7Ships,
Two American
Rescuers Standing By
As Gales Rage From
Spain to Denmark
BY the Associated Press

NDON, Dec. 29.-Howling
hurricane winds washed noun
famous seas over sinking ships
along Europe's Atlantic coast
today and set off a series of
frantic distress calls.
At least seven threatened YES
sells. including two American
freighters, radioed SOS signals.
One ship was driven aground.
Others were taking water rapidly
and in serious danger.
The Clifton American freighter
Flying Enterprise, carrying 40
creWmen and 10 passengers out of
Hamburg said she was listing IS
degrees and taking water" She
was wallowing off the southwest
tip of England.
Help was standing by the Fly-
ing Enterprise and was at hand or
on the way to other threatened
ships.
S9-Mile Winds Whip Coast.
Winds as high as 80 miles an
hour whipped up the worst East
'ern Atlantic storm in many years.
Ports and airports closed in MANY
places. Coastal towns from Spain
to Denmark were battered.
Hundreds of small boats were
sunk at anchor on the French and
English coasts. Tidal floods hit
river mouths all along the shore.
Most transatlantic air travel
matted after the Shannon River
washed over low-lying Shannon
international Airport. Authorities
said the field would be unusabIe
until tomorrow or Monday.
The Queen Mary finally docked
at Southampton 70 hours late. Her
captain. Harry Grattidge, said the
trip was the worst he had made
since 1914. There was no other
Woro Tor the seas but terrific"
Capt. Grattidge said.
Dutch Liner Stands By.
The Holland-Amerika liner
Noordam stood by the Flying En-
terprise part of the night The
New York Coast Guard said the
Enterprise has plenty of help if
assistance can be carried out in
heavy seas"
Inc Southland. a freighter of
the South American Steamship
Line, and a British freighter, the
4,986-ton Sherborne, also went to
Ine aid Of the Flying Enterprise.
The Noordan's captain decided
adequate help was on hand and
resumed his trip to Rotterdam,
Inc Flying Enterprise is owned
by the 1sbrandtsen line of New
York.
None of her rescuers Indicated
Immediately whether they had
oeen able to take off the crew and
passengers. Earlier the Flvinp
Enterprise had radioed she honed
10 stay af1oat until daylight and
transfer her passengers then.
Frelghter Loses Propeller.
worst hit was the area off
Lands End, the southwestern tin
Iof Britain.
Inc 7,256-ton freighter Buc-
cancer of Panamanian registry
radled she was powerless with a
lost propeller and needed helm
French and Dutch tugs went to
the rescue.
In the same area, the 4,3OO-ton
Henry Stevenson from New York
Imessaged for aid. saying, Quick.
unable to hold"
Another Panamanian shin the
l ,307-ton freighter Wear. radioed
she was out of control off Lands
End, with it's engine room half
1ull OF water. Later she reported
'rescuers were at hand.
Coastal Shipping Hammered.
Inc storm extended all along
the European coast. Small coastal
shlpplng was taking the worst
beating. Off the Spanish coast
the 400-ton Dutch coaster Gemma
said she had lost her lifeboats
after being battered among the
rocks following an engine failure.
OFF the Danish coast the Polish
traWler Jorvis was driven aground
by the violent winds during the
night but her crew of % refused
to be taken off by Coast Guard
Lifeboatmen.
Along the French coast. roofs
were ripped off and trees blown
down. Navigation at the big port
OF Bordeaux was halted.
Motor Barge Rescued.
A British motor barge, the 240-
ton Oliver May, was caught in the
storm off Great Yarmouth and
swept towards the treacherous
sandbanks off the southern coast
OF England. But tugs took her into
tow this morning and brought her
to Great Yarmouth harbor with
out mishap.
The high winds sent flood waters
as high as four feet over some
parts of England. Rail transport
TOO. was slowed by flood waters
IN Southern England.