The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-07-19
Liner q ripsholm''
Works In Pre-Dawn
Darkness To Pick
Up Swimming Men

IG0En 1NOkWCSAdu Aci6utSh bAA o
lnt0 roaring flames on the dark
Atlantic, but IS of 40 persons
aboard were snatched from fiery
death today IN . tense and dra-
matte rescue.
Four crewmen still were miss
he from the 5,000-ton freighter,
de IS Black Gull, as the ship
settled SIS miles off the eastern
lip Of Long Island.
The Swedish American liner
Gripsholm, q hospital mercy ship
= World War II, headed hell-bent
for the scene'' In the words of a
l1ne spokesman. and plucked As
persons, including six women, from
~ rolling sea.
At 1888 pm. EST Friday night
he Black Gull reported nine pas
oeneers and 4 crew Of 40 were
abandoning ship after her lifeb0ats
Had been destroyed or lost.
Tia other Il scamen and officers
yoocued were huddled far forward
d he bow with the flames begin.
ming to SINCE them, the Gripsholm
reported.
4 Iifeboat from the Gripsholm
raced to the bow and took off the
- q the flames leaped nearer.
III we'd gotten there few mimi,
tes later" reported the Gripsholm
chief officer, Eric Sjolin, they
certainly would have been In the
water. It's doubtful II all could
have been saved. /"
The four missing crewmen
plunged off the stern Of the Black
Gull.
The Gripsholm's lifeboats picked
u total 81 Is either in the sea
&C from Z lifeboat. Of these, A
we're transferred to the Coast
Guard cutter Mackinac for trans
port ashore. The Mackinac headed
ior New York where it Is due to-
night.
The veteran skipper Of the Grips
holm, Capt. Sisfrid Ericsson. radi-
ood The Associated Press that six
e he rescued needed medical
treatment. One, whose condition
vas too serious TO be moved, re-
NAMED on The Swedish bound
GripshOlm. His lifeboats performed
their rescue work in 4-foot swells.
The Black Gull was carrying 500
TINS d naphthelene In metal drums
from Bremen to New York. Naph-
thelene u used ID making dyes and
explosives. The ship was due in
New York today.
Fred Kerner, an Associated
Press ncwsman who flew over the
Deene II dawn, reported the fire.
charred huh Of the Black Gull was
settling laxily 10 one side, still
beIching devopring orange flames,
ogner said q thick column Of
smoke hlanketed The sea for i 90
Mile radius. Below the heat-suck.
Led decks. the flames could be
ueen eating steadily away at the
interior Of the 6.year-old freighter.
pimly outlined was the bare
metal framework Of the ships poop
deck from which four crcwmen
loaped to apparent death.
but the Coast Guard had not
niyen up Its efforts 10 find and
xoecae the four. Three Coast Guard
critters combcd The area and Coast
Guard planes lowered overhead.
The Gripsholm swung 10 the
ocene and lowered her lifeboats
swiftly altar receiving the distress
oiGnal. she was less than II hours
CT " New York on her 200th
ypund-trip crossing a. the Atlantic
Win ois passengers.
1he liner Excalibur also raced
- TIE scene. but The Cripshoim
Was there first.
Ihe Swedish American liner
Gripsholm d an old hand al help.
lng TIE distressed. As . mercy
nhipn IN World War II she carried
Thousands to safety and home.
The BLACK Gull radioed the Coast
Guard here Il lo:11 pm. Friday
that she was n trouble. Within
- minutes Coast Guard planes
were racing y NE scene from
various stations. -Four Coast Guard
cutters changed courses and
ehurned toward the flaming YES.
81.
Rescucrs beaan picking up men
and women h ~ cray dawn. The
exhausted survivors had little Il
SAY II first. Ihey could cast no
hxht On The fats II TIE four crew.
men who leaped IS FRET Into TIE
90 from the ilsming vessels poop
deck.
The Coast Guard said II wss
mere than iikely ne captain q
90 NIP. =. Il Andersen az Nor.
Nay. had heen SAVED.
Ths GripNholm id<nslfied the sur,
vivor kcpt aboard ne vessel 4
Third ottieer Ms vsren Mo was
badly burrcd.
Korean Politics
TAEJoN. Korea = = ne dcml,