SRS Kaw (CL-16)

The SRS Kaw (CL-16) was a Solace-Class light cruiser. It was commissioned on 14 June 1942. It had a crew complement of 1,255 men. The ship was sunk on 4 May 1946 at the mysterious island when searching for famed Soltalian, Droneius and his brother Bebeius.

### The Mysterious Island

When Droneius Retardius left his home city of Alvania and flew his plane, the Enterprize, to the island on 27 January 1946. He was expected to return about 2 months later in late March to early April, but when he did not return, Droneius's brother, Bebeius, took to the skies in his plane, the Millennium Falcon. When he did not return the Ministry of Defense sent a ship, the Kaw, to search for the missing brothers.

A week and a half later, A Soltalian freighter sailing off the southern coast of Spice Island received an SOS from the SRS Kaw. The freighter relayed the SOS to Soltalian Naval Command and they sent two ships to the Kaw's last known coordinates in order to search for survivors.

One hour later, the freighter that received the SOS recieved a communique from a Columbian sea plane informing them of the current situation. The freighter then informed Naval Command who gave new orders to the two ships searching for the Kaw.

### What Happened to the Kaw?

According to the surivors, of which includes a Lieutenant Murena, the ship approached the island and saw what remained of a lost colony; a damaged empty city and two planes on the beach. The Kaw launched a recon plane from the stern of the ship to survey the islands from the sky. The plane was ordered to take aerial photos and return to the ship. The pilot complied and turned back to the ship. But as the plane got closer, it did not slow down.

The plane crashed into the side of the ship detonating one of the ammunition magazines. No pilot was seen inside the cockpit. An SOS is sent to Naval Command and any other ships in range. The ship begins to take on water and damage control teams do the best they can to control the flooding. Their efforts are futile however. The Captain gives the order to abandon ship. The lifeboats are deployed carrying 20 people each. The SRS Kaw sinks under the waves.

Only 15 of the 60 lifeboats were deployed carrying over 300 men altogether. Lieutenant Murena makes contact with a Columbian who saw the sinking ships and landed his sea plane. He offers the use of his radio to contact Soltalia. Murena accepts and sends out a transmission explaining the current situation hoping that someone in Soltalia recieves it.

Amidst all the commotion lifeboats begin to be take under water somehow. As more and more lifeboats are taken under, the order is given to row away. Only 3 lifeboats carrying around 60 men make it out. They begin to row towards the Federation of Kamelicia.

One of the lifeboats make contact with a Bork Bork pilot. The pilot asks about what happened. The sailors explained and the Bork Bork and Columbian pilots assists the sailors. The Columbians send a transmission to any Soltalian ships in range and the freighter that received the SOS responds. The pilots explains the situation and the freighter informs Soltalian Naval Command.

The task force sent to search for the Kaw was informed of what happened and set course to the lifeboats. The lifeboats where rescued and taken back to Soltalia.

Only 62 sailors out of 1,255 survived the disaster. And the fates of Droneius and Bebeius are still unkown. In order to prevent any other ship from facing the same fate, the Soltalian Ministry of Defense announced that Soltalian military and civilian ships are prohibited from sailing within 200 nautical miles of the mysterious island. Other nations are recommended to adopt the same policy.