Evening star., 1961-01-17
Diver Reports
No Sign Of Life
In over Debris
Suivoge Operations
Resumed at Site of
Sunken Structure

SuUkSH StTuSCuTS
NEW YORK. Jan. II (AP)-
A diver who reached the per-
sonnel quarters of the storm
sunk radar tower today re-
ported he received no response
to taps on the side of the
structure. It had been believed
some men might have survived
in watertight compartments.
Underwater noises, of posi-
BILE human origin. were re-
ported detected in the vicinity
yesterday and early today by
Navy underwater listening de.
vices.
This gave rise to hopes some
Of the % men aboard the tower
in the Atlantic might have
managed to remain alive after
the tower collapsed in a storm
Sunday night.
Gets No Response
A diver whose name was not
Immediately reported from the
scene came to the surface
shortly before noon and said
he got no response to taps of
his own on the tower structure.
His account was radioed here
by Associated Press photog-
rapher Tony Camerano.
But the grim effort at pos
sible rescue continued, with
scores Of Navy men and en-
ployes Of private concerns mar
shaling every resource possible
for the task.
According to the New York
Journal-American, other r
diver coming up about mid
morning said air bubbles were
rising from the underwater
wreckage-another sign there
might have been Q chance for
life inside.
Mr.. Camerano said under
water tappings had been heard
briefly at 3:45 am. today.
However. after the first were
reported yesterday, Navy Off
cials emphasized that they
may have been due only to
shifting Of the wreckage.
Efforts Are Renewed
me renewed rescue effort
at the scene, 80 miles southeast
Of New York City. began at
dawn to-day. At $40 am. the
Coast Guard here was notified
that there was nothing more
to indicate anyone was alive in
the submerged debris.
The so-called Texas tower
was wrecked by high winds and
stormy seas. One body has since
been recovered and another
sighted but lost.
Divers were forced to halt
their plunges into the cold and
tumultuous Atlantic during the
early morning hours but re-
sumed with daylight.
At that time, winds were
about 10 miles an hour but
were expected to rise during
the day. The ocean also had
calmed somewhat.
From the scene came this
message:
"The salvage problem is to
accurately locate broken-off
legs of, the tower and cut them
off so that salvage vessels may
moor over the tower wreckage
and put divers down continu-
ously to work on it,"
50 Feet Below Surface
Officers believe the tower
was in an upright position.
more than so feet below the
surface. 'Luminescent" OBJ
jects. believed radar domes.
were spotted by q diver yes
terday.
Despite underwater lights,
the divers found the going
rough as murky water, stirred
by the same storm that wrecked
the tower Sunday night. low
cred visibility and hampered
operations.
Two of the towers three
legs" were discovered still
standing-but bent over as II
by some giant hand. One was
10 feet below the surface, and
the other Is feet below.
These legs will be sheared
off by divers to permit q sal
wage boat carrying a diving
gear to move into position di-
rectly over. the towers position.
The station, not unlike a ship
had two enclosed decks, con.
tanning recreation hall, gym
nasium, swimming pool. dining
areas and cabins for personnel
The 4,300-ton. 67-foot tower
had rested on its tripod sunk
into the ocean bottom about l8C
feet beneath the surface.
Meanwhile, 1t was reported
that the $2l million tower. one
Of three along the coast, had
See TOWER, Page Al