Evening star., 1954-10-09
5 Rescued, AZ Still Missing
As Ship Sinks Off Virginia;
Men Spotted Over Wide Area
One Body Found;
Planes and Boots
Join in Search
By the Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va, Oct. 9-The
Coast Guard said today the
Greek freighter Macedonia had
picked up and identified five sur
vivors from the 48-man crew of
the capsized ore freighter Nor
mackite. The Macedonia also
said it had recovered one body.
Meanwhile, one of the Coast
Guard search planes over the
area. about $50 miles east
southeast of Cape Henry, Va,
reported that survivors are scat
tered over wide area, making
recovery by the vessels in the
vicinity difficult.
The pilot reported he was
afraid some of the men were
going to die and for that reason
he asked and received permission
to land his seaplane and attempt
to recover some of the survivors.
Dangerous Operation.
The Coast Guard 5th District
Headquarters at Norfolk. which
granted the pilot permission to
land, described it as a dangerous
operation.
One of the survivors, Michael
Angel Hernandez, chief steward
of the Mormackite, said the
6,00O-ton freighter had capsized.
Coast Guard officials estimated
the ship sank early Thursday
when there were high winds and
rough seas in the area.
Other survivors were listed as
Shed Sullivan, jr., an oiler; John
Davis, a deckman; Charles Will
liams, an ordinary seaman. and
Tadeodel Vale, an able seaman.
The Coast Guard said the
Macedonia, en- route from Phila-
delphia to Puerto OrdaZ, Vene-
zuela, had asked to be relieved
of its survivors as soon as pos
sible so it could continue on its
way.
Planes Direct Vessel.
The S. S. Maritime Trader re-
ported it had arrived in the area
and that planes were directing
her to the survivors.
The Mormackite was carrying
no passengers. Bound from Vic
toria, Brazil, to Baltimore, it was
last heard from at 8 pm.
Wednesday. Her owner, the
Moore Mccormack Line, re-
ported the ship overdue at Cape
Henry yesterday afternoon and
the Coast Guard launched an
immediate search.
Shortly before 10 am. today
the Navy dispatched two blimps
from the Navy Air Facility at
Weeksville. N. c. The Coast
Guard cutter Chincoteague and
several merchant ships were
converging on the area.
The Macedonia was stand
ing by.
Sighted by Planes.
Mr.. Hernandez was sighted by
one of II planes. He was picked
up about 7:35 am. by the
Macedonia. Mr.. Sullivan was
sighted at 8:45 am. and the
Macedonia reported it had him
aboard at 9 am. At the same
time planes reported sighting
additional survivors in life jack
cts in the water.
Before daylight the Mace
donia had heard mems voices
and had put a boat oversize,
but nothing was found. It was
later that one of the planes
sighted Mr.. Hernandez and
considerable" wreckage in the
water.
Three Coast Guard cutters
from Norfolk. Cherokee, Marion
and Chincoteague search e d
through the night for the Nor
mackite. Twelve planes took
off at daylight to join in the
hunt. six from Norfolk, five from
Elizabeth City, N. c., and one
from Floyd Bennett Field, N. Y.
List Not Yet Revealed.
Albert Chrystal, vice president
of the Moore mccormack Line.
said the freighter crew list would
not be made public until all pos
sible survivors had been rescued.
Built in 1945 at the Moore Dry
Dock Co. in Oakland, Calf, the
Mormackite is a CO vessel, 435
feet long with a 63-foot beam.
Records in Baltimore showed
the vessel was in a Chesapeake
Bay collision December 13, 1949,
with the Horace Irvine. The
collision occurred in a heavy fog.
Damage was slight and there